by S A Pavli
We were invited by President Tara to send down our representatives to tell them about our adventures. We made arrangements for ‘shore’ leave, whilst ensuring that the ships were fully manned and battle ready. In the first instance, it was decided that non-crew and non-military would make up the first team on planet. Someone described them as ‘politicians and scientists’. Since I was included, I was not sure whether to be happy or humiliated!
Back down on the planet, we renewed our acquaintance with the Dansai. The presidential palace seemed somehow different on our second visit; more friendly and welcoming. I was able to admire the architecture and explore the city this time, in company with my colleagues. The good people of Leffra made an effort to brighten up their planet and welcome us, and that was great. There was a huge release of ancient fears and tensions; we were seen as their liberators from the tyranny of their long war with the Saraya.
They were fascinated to hear about our contact with the Cypraeans and view video of their giant virtual habitat and starship. They were also horrified and alarmed when they learned that the Saraya had looted the Cypraean home planet and stolen technological secrets. I hoped that threat would create greater unity amongst them.
But we could not stay on Leffra indefinitely. Shore leave was rotated until everyone had sampled the hospitality of the planet. In the meantime, the leaders of the expedition, of which I was one, had meetings with the President and the deputies from all the planets. The Dansai wanted much from us, but we did not have the authority to promise anything. We did our best , but I felt it was inadequate.
It was Manera who reminded everyone that we had three Saraya on board. The three scientists had been locked away under guard since their abortive attempt to warn their comrades by radio. What were we going to do with them? asked Manera. Hand them over to the Dansai? Take them back home? Or transport them to a Saraya planet?
After some discussion we came to the realisation that the scientists may offer a way of setting up some kind of dialogue between the Dansai and the Saraya. They had seen the Cypraeans and their huge ship and were now convinced that we were not Dansai. Would they act as intermediaries? It was a question that we put to them.
Arane and her colleagues Tastok and Narasa seemed dumbfounded by our question. Intermediaries? In what way? they asked. We explained what we meant and what we wanted to bring about. They seemed to find the idea of co-habiting with the Dansai impossible to accept. Their history and culture had conditioned them to be ruthlessly competitive. Sharing the galaxy with other species was not possible. They believed that both species would fight over planets, there would inevitably be conflict and one or the other would have to win.
Amongst the Saraya they said, the strongest would win. There was no compromise with a weaker opponent. That was Nature’s way surely? The theory of Evolution argued Arane. Manera made the scientific point that within Nature, it was not just the strong that survived. Weaker species made a home for themselves by adapting to the millions of environmental niches offered by Nature.
And in any case, we pointed out, what if the Saraya are the weaker? Are they prepared to fight until extinct? If we are the weaker, they replied, then we deserve to be extinct. Do you have the right to make that decision for future generations, we asked. They struggled with these unfamiliar concepts. But they agreed in the end that they would try to persuade their leaders that they now faced an irresistible force with the Cypraeans and the humanoids arrayed against them. How exactly we would go about this was as yet undecided.
There was a great deal of reluctance by many to get over involved with this enterprise. It was not our brief they argued, and of course they were quite right. But we all agreed that since we had to return the Saraya scientists to their people, then we may as well make the effort to begin a reconciliation between the two warring species.
We met in the splendour of Tara Con Sata’s presidential suite to consider strategy. The three Saraya were with us and they looked slightly overwhelmed by what was expected of them. But they made the suggestion that simply returning them alive would be seen as remarkable by their people. I suspected they would agree to anything just to get out of here alive. After some discussion we went for the simplest tactic, to return the Saraya scientists as a token of our good intentions, and allow them to communicate to their people the changed circumstances that now prevailed. We only had to decide where and how the three Saraya were to be returned. Dropping them off on a populated planet was clearly out of the question. We would have to run the gauntlet of their military. The alternative was to drop them off somewhere unpopulated and then radio the Saraya to pick them up.
“You could just return us to Tela,” suggested Arane. When everyone looked blankly at her she explained. “The Cypraean home planet. Where you picked us up. There is accommodation and food there and comms facilities. I could radio our people to pick us up.”
Encouraging the Saraya to return to Tela did not seem a good idea to us and after some discussion we turned this down. Arane seemed agitated and angry at this. This was when I suddenly had the suspicion that the scientists may be playing a double game. Arane knew about the Cypraeans to be sure, but she also knew they would not be around for a while, and that our forces were seriously debilitated. This would be the right time for the Saraya to strike, if someone could get that information to them. We were again being too trusting.
Had we foolishly allowed the three Saraya scientists on to the Settang and revealed too much to them? They would have realised that we had lost the Atlantis and, from the amount of damage to our ships, guessed that the Cypraean ship Ancantor had arrived just in time to save us.
The problem now was, if we could not trust the three scientists, we could not carry through our plan to return them. I discussed my thoughts with my colleagues. At first they believed that I was being overly suspicious. But when they realised the consequences if I was right, they agreed that we could not take the chance. We needed another plan.
We adjourned for the day and the President arranged entertainment, food and drink for her guests. I decided that I didn’t mind so much being a ‘politician’! We mingled with the deputies and I renewed my acquaintance with the Solan. Manera and I chatted with him and found that he was smart and pragmatic. He understood the danger from the Saraya if they acquired Cypraean technology. We also noticed that he had a close relationship with President Tara. Can’t beat the personal touch I suggested to Manera knowingly!
The next day I was surprised to be approached by Arane and her two colleagues. Manera and I had taken breakfast and were talking to a couple of Dansai scientists prior to a trip to the local University. Manera was scheduled to give a talk there to eager staff and students.
“There is something we wish to say,” began Arane. She looked at her colleagues and they nodded their support.
“Yes Arane, we are listening,” said Manera encouragingly.
“We have been watching you, all of you. The Cypraeans, the Dansai and the Humans and Hianja.”
Ah.” We looked at each other curiously. “So what is it that is bothering you?” asked Manera.
“You all get on with each other so well. You enjoy the same things. But not with us. Yet we are not so different.
“The problem is that you have not given us the opportunity to get on with you,” said Manera. “If you tried, you may find we are not so different.”
“I think we are prepared to try,” said Arane. “We want to be part of this.” She waved her hand around at the different individuals gathered around us, talking with each other. “It is not good all the time to be warring. To be afraid and angry.”
“We are very happy to hear you say that Arane. If you can persuade enough of your people to give peace a chance, they may come to feel the same as you,” said Manera.
Tastok, the older male spoke tentatively.
“I am an old Saraya,” he said. “All my life I have been taught that the Dansai hate us and wish to exterminate us. Yet I see now t
hat you are no different from us.” He seemed to be saying the words rather mechanically as if they had been rehearsed. He turned and looked at Narasa as if for reassurance.
“We are the first Saraya to spend time with aliens,” she said. “It has opened our eyes.”
“We have many things in common,” said Arane. I was pleased that we had made this breakthrough and put their reticence down to their basic natures. They were clearly not used to making any kind of personal contact.
“You must say what you said to us to all the others,” I said. “You must persuade them.”
“We shall begin by making you part of our Science team,” said Manera. “You will come with me to the University and I will introduce you to the staff and students.”
It was a bold move, for which we needed to get the permission of the Dansai leadership. I had no illusions. It was going to be a long and rocky road, but this was an opportunity to make a start.
Chapter 36
The Dansai leadership were, eventually, persuaded by Arane and her colleagues. We agreed to return them to Tela, mostly because we could not think where else to take them. But before that, the Saraya scientists played their part in attempting to improve relations with the Dansai. They accompanied Manera on a number of visits to different Universities, giving speeches and meeting their Dansai opposite numbers. They talked to Dansai politicians, who were suspicious and doubtful. It was painful and difficult for the Saraya because they met prejudice and suspicion. But it was expected and to their credit they persevered.
We transported them back to Tela in the Settang, In orbit around the planet, next to the stupendous worm hole generator ring reminded us of our close escape from the Saraya warships. Were we doing the right thing I asked myself. Could the Saraya be trusted?
We landed Arane and her two colleagues in a base on the southern continent. It was very hot and humid, but the buildings there were well insulated and the generators had lots of fuel for the air conditioning. There was stacks of food, and we checked that the radio equipment was working. They could survive there until they were picked up.
Our goodbyes were fairly perfunctory. They seemed relieved to see the back of us and I was again struck by feelings of doubt.
“It has been an interesting experience,” said Arane, but her expression was inscrutable. We were almost persuaded to change our minds. But their task was huge and important to the future of their species. We wished them luck and departed in our Peacekeeper fighter.
“They certainly are an inscrutable lot,” I said.
“I guess. Thousands of years of war is not going to change overnight,” said Manera.
The journey back to Leffra took no time and I marvelled at the ease of travel within the Cluster. It took longer to travel the last 3 million miles than it took to travel the billions of miles in Hyperspace.
We could have spent weeks, months even, with the Dansai. But our task had been achieved and we had a long return trip, particularly the Earth ships. We agreed to leave two armed Peacekeeper fighters on Leffra with the command and control software and the decoding facilities to assist the Dansai military. But again, on the strict understanding that the Dansai were not to interfere with the fighters in any way. We also established Hyperspace comms facilities and protocols to connect the Dansai to both Earth and Hian.
After the parties and celebrations we said our goodbyes and departed to our ships.
“Too many goodbyes,” I said to Manera.
“It’s sad,” she agreed. “So what did you think of the Makers? Or Cypraeans, as we now know them.”
“An odd lot.”
“That is being polite.”
“You have not been impressed?” I had detected a certain coolness on Manera’s part towards the Cypraeans.
“We came here to find out what happened to the Makers. I am not sure that we have. Oh, I have been impressed by their technology. But not with what they have done for the last few thousand years. I think their civilisation has been going downhill for a long time.”
“What gives you that idea?” I was surprised by her harsh assessment.
“Abandoning their planets here in the cluster. Abandoning the Dansai and the Saraya, who they surely have some responsibility for. Losing contact with the Celmaton. All signs of a civilisation in retreat.”
“Their starship is an impressive machine. As is that worm hole generator. Fantastic achievements.”
“Yes but two hundred thousand years old. A two million year old civilisation should have expanded throughout the galaxy by now. Why have they hidden themselves away in the galaxy hub? Is it by choice, or have they stagnated, lost their way and become dysfunctional?”
“Mmm, brilliant but dysfunctional. But they seemed pleased to make contact with us. And Manolious wanted to put right their neglect of the cluster.”
“Yes. Perhaps meeting us is what they needed. It may give them purpose again.”
We stood arm in arm on the Bridge of the Settang as the big ship prepared to leave orbit.. We were receiving transmissions from the planet showing the crowds all over the planet watching giant screens showing our ships in orbit. There were still many imponderables. Would the Saraya believe that the Dansai wanted peace? Would the Dansai unite and continue to make the effort to achieve peace? Would the Cypraeans keep their promise to return to the Cluster? We had put our lives on the line to help our genetic cousins. We could do no more.
“Prepare to leave orbit.” The AI made the announcement and we all took our seats and buckled up. We were travelling together with the Kuàisù Niao and Surf Rider until the ‘H’ limit, where we would jump our separate ways, they to Earth, us to Hian. The announcement was heard on the planet below us and billions of people waved in unison.
“See you again good people of Leffra. Good Luck,” I muttered under my breath.
“Are you being sentimental again?” asked Manera.
“I have decided it’s all a big act,” I said.
“Uh?”
“All this Hianja pragmatism and disdain for the metaphysical.”
“Or perhaps we prefer to value that which is real and important rather than some imaginary construct?”
“Ah yes, reality. It’s become a bit confused recently. All those souls in the virtual habitat believe they are living real lives. How do we know this Universe is not just another simulation?” I made the point in jest, not really believing it myself.
“It may be, but there has to be something real in the end. Virtual reality is a computer simulation but the computer is real. If the Universe is a simulation, then whatever is simulating it must be real. There cannot be an infinite series of simulations.”
“You? A philosopher?“ I said, putting on an amazed expression. “And I thought they were all bearded old chaps who sat around arguing over the meaning of meaning.”
She laughed.
“So Earthman. You have broken through my telepathic disguise again. And discovered my real appearance. You leave me no choice. I will just have to …philosophise you into submission.”
“Yes professor. This philosophising. Is it, ahem, painful?”
“Only if you resist,” she said putting on a fierce voice.
“Okay. I give in.”
“I thought you might.”
We felt the gentle push as the ship began to accelerate out of orbit. We were going home. In a couple of short years, the discovered universe had expanded to include four new species and hundreds of inhabited planets, moons, artificial settlements and now, virtual habitats. And the realisation that we, us Humans that is, were not unique. It is a shock that will take some getting used to, particularly for those with a religious world view.
What next? I asked myself. The future looked full of promise. And also, I was sure, the occasional ‘booby trap’. But one thing was certain; it would not be boring.
THE END
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