by S. H. Jucha
“The petals only, Julien. The bloom is sensitive,” Mist Monitor replied.
On receiving Julien’s translation, Renée slowly approached the monitor. She couldn’t resist the temptation to touch one of the aliens, who resembled the beautiful flowers of the worlds she had visited. While facing the monitor, she carefully lifted an arm to the side. The monitor’s bloom tipped toward her hand, but then turned to face her.
Delicately, Renée touched the top of a single petal. She expected it to be soft and give under her touch, but, while the petal’s surface gently tickled her finger, it had a degree of tension. She touched other petals, relishing the feel and elasticity. Soon, the monitor’s bloom tilted down to allow Renée more access.
At one point, Renée slipped a finger under a petal, and it curled momentarily around her finger, which made her smile.
On the hiss of the doors sliding open, Renée stepped back, and Mist Monitor broke from reverie. The Ollassa was saddened by the curtailment of the wonderful sensations.
“We’re ready, Julien,” the mandator announced. The senior Ollassa led the group to a meeting room farther down the main corridor. Typical for the species, the room was bare of furniture. Four mandators stood with stiffened stalks at the far end of the room, and the Omnians occupied the other end, which left Scarlet Mandator standing in the center.
Mist Monitor chose to attend the meeting, despite not being invited. Then again, the mandator hadn’t said that attendance was forbidden.
There were a few humorous comments sent between the Omnians when they noticed Mist Monitor was standing next to Renée.
“Julien,” the mandator said, indicating with a stalk a nearby position to the alien.
“Mandators, thank you for hearing our offer,” Julien began congenially. “We will soon depart your Worlds of Light, but we would like to offer you a gift before we leave. We’re concerned for your safety if a sphere returns. Our analysis of the imagery of your conflict with the great orb indicates that the Nua’ll ship had only half the usual defenders. The next orb might be better protected.”
“What do you offer?” Citron Mandator asked. The Ollassa had recently arrived on the tram, with the other mandators, from the site of the Scarlet Life Giver.
“We have a means of allowing you to communicate with us anywhere among the stars, far beyond that of the Light. If another great orb arrives here, you only need to push a single button, and we will come to help you repulse your enemy.”
“Why would you offer this?” another mandator asked.
“Why shouldn’t all intelligent species assist one another?” Julien asked in reply.
“It’s an animal trick,” Citron Mandator challenged.
“The progenitors came from beyond the Light to rescue their seedling,” Scarlet Mandator replied. “How did they know to come here?”
“I’ve no doubt the progenitors have the capability,” Citron Mandator retorted, “but I say it’s a trick. The device isn’t designed to contact them. It’s probably designed to watch us, or worse, to poison us.”
“All of you know the progenitors travel between the stars, and you’ve witnessed their ships’ advanced technology, which can maneuver in ways we can’t even comprehend. Do you doubt they could eliminate all Ollassa life, if they so choose? Why would they need to trick us?” Scarlet Mandator said, rising on stalks, and the Omnians took that as a sign of the Ollassa’s passion.
The four mandators began conducting a private conversation, and Scarlet Mandator joined them. For the Omnians, it was surprising that Ollassa discussions required such an extensive amount of time to conclude. It was close to two hours later when Scarlet Mandator approached Julien.
“I offer my regrets, Julien. Only three mandators approved of your offer,” the mandator said.
Julien relayed the message, thanked the mandators for their time, and led the Omnians out of the room.
Scarlet Mandator and Mist Monitor followed the progenitors down the main corridor. At Mesa Control’s primary command center, the monitor halted. It was time to return to duty.
Belatedly, Renée noticed that Mist Monitor had stopped. The bloom focused on her, and she hurried back to the monitor.
Renée used both hands to stroke the petals on the sides of the monitor’s bloom. She laid a finger of each hand under a single petal, which curled tightly around them before releasing her fingers. Then, Renée quickly hurried to join the Omnians, a huge smile on her face.
Scarlet Mandator’s bloom had swung between the monitor and the little alien, during their interaction. The mandator was unsure of what had taken place, but the Ollassa had every intention of discovering it later.
Exiting the elevator at the mesa top, Scarlet Mandator said farewell to the progenitors.
Julien relayed their appreciation for the Ollassa’s help. Then the Omnians boarded their traveler.
“Julien, seed this system. I want a comm station, with observation capability, tucked somewhere on the system’s outer limits … where the station is unlikely to be discovered. Then send three more observations drones around the system’s periphery.”
“We will support the Ollassa whether they wish it or not. Is that the case?” Julien replied.
“Not sure, Julien,” Alex replied, as he closed his eyes and leaned back in his seat. “Maybe it’s not to protect the entire species. Maybe it’s to protect Mist Monitor. If something happens to that particular Ollassa, my partner might never forgive me,” Alex added, reaching a hand out for Renée’s.
-7-
Omnia
While the squadron and the Vivian returned to Omnia, the SADEs used the information provided by the Ollassa, to overlay their extensive star charts. They worked to narrow the field of potential next destinations for the Nua’ll sphere.
Alex had been brooding since the Omnians left the Ollassa system, and Renée and Julien decided an intervention was necessary.
In a small meeting room aboard the OS Liberator, Julien asked a key question, “We have vectors for the sphere’s entry into and exit from the Ollassa system, Alex. Do you intend to see where it came from, in case we can trace the sphere back to its home world, or do you wish to pursue the great orb?”
Julien thought injecting a tiny bit of humor would get a rise from Alex, but he sat with arms folded and staring into space.
“Hmm, sorry, Julien,” Alex said, and replayed Julien’s question from his implant. “We could be centuries backtracking along the sphere’s previous stops. We’ve no idea how long the Nua’ll have been gone from their home world. Sometimes, I wonder if their home world exists anymore.”
“So, we pursue our quarry,” Julien said.
“It’s a possibility,” Alex replied, but he didn’t put much conviction behind his words.
Julien and Renée exchanged concerned looks. Julien was intent on analyzing Alex’s words, but Renée intuited the problem and arrived first at the answer.
“My love, I wish you’d admit what you’ve already decided,” Renée said.
“But, I haven’t decided anything yet,” Alex objected.
“But, you have, Alex,” Julien added, recognizing that Renée had accurately identified the reason for Alex’s somber mood.
“Will you two stop ganging up on me?” Alex complained.
“You want to chase the Ollassa sphere, correct?” Renée said, intent on having Alex confront what was bothering him.
“But you’re concerned for what that decision will mean for Omnia, which is in a nascent state,” Julien added.
“Yes, that too,” Alex replied.
“What happened to Haraken?” Renée asked.
“What do you mean?” Alex asked.
“Did it collapse when you stepped down as president or when we left?” Renée challenged.
“That’s not a fair comparison, Renée. Haraken was well-established before any of those events occurred.” Alex pushed away from the table and began to pace.
Renée and Julien exchanged brief smiles. Alex’s pacing was a good sign. It meant he was engaged.
“Alex, I believe what will ensure Omnia’s future is solid financial growth potential, much as what Haraken possessed,” Julien hinted.
Alex stopped pacing and focused on Julien.
When Alex and Julien stilled, Renée slipped out of the meeting room. As she entered the corridor, she muttered, “Finally.”
* * *
The Omnian warship squadron and the Vivian exited space into the Celus system. Alex stayed off the comm, allowing the SADEs to communicate. A great deal more information could be passed more accurately and much quicker through them.
Renée replied.
* * *
After reaching Omnia’s orbit, Renée was able to return to her considerably more expansive staterooms aboard the Freedom. The suite was designed and built, courtesy of the SADEs, during the reconditioning of the city-ship.
Alex requested Franz to transport him from the OS Liberator to the Sardi-Tallen Orbital Platform.
The design of the scout ships necessitated that the three SADEs be loaded aboard, one at a time, down the length of the slender hull. Then they were required to lock their avatars for the entire journey. Due to the scout ship’s overall length, the vessel couldn’t be recovered by one of the Tridents. It was the orbital platform that was a convenient location to disembark the SADEs from their scout ship.
Julien signaled Killian that Alex was coming to meet them. The Vivian’s SADE delayed his landing at the station until he detected Alex exiting a traveler in a platform’s bay near to where the scout ship would dock.
Alex had no need to hurry. He knew when he told Julien that he wanted to greet the SADEs that his friend would arrange everything. Alex was aware he could never compete with much of what the SADEs could achieve computationally, but he could demonstrate to the digital entities, his friends, what it meant to be human.
A little smile crossed Alex’s face, when he arrived at the docking bay in time to witness the Vivian slide into place. He watched the SADEs exit their ship and enter the airlock, looking the same as they did the day they crawled backward into the scout ship, except for the odd creases in their wardrobes.
Killian broke into a huge smile at the sight of Alex when he gained the corridor. The hug from Alex was expected and appreciated.
Bethley extended her hand in greeting to Alex, but she received the same treatment as Killian.
Bethley stepped aside, and Trium happily accepted his hug.
“Get your wardrobes in order for a fête tomorrow night aboard the Our People, Sers. You’ll be the guests of honor,” Alex said, and promptly left the SADEs to return to his traveler and join Renée aboard the Freedom.
In a quick flight from the orbital platform, Alex and Franz landed aboard the Freedom. They’d missed evening meal and decided to enjoy some food together before retiring to their cabins. There were no intimate dining facilities aboard the enormous vessel, which was constructed to house an eighth of a million people for decades.
As the two Omnians reached a meal room’s double doors, Alex said, “We have company,” and he grinned at Franz. The twin doors slid apart, and the noise of hundreds of fellow diners reached them.
Franz sent to Alex.
Reiko hurried to hug Franz, and the couple walked to a seat she’d saved for him.
Alex glanced around and saw many of his friends paired up — Reiko and Franz, Alain and Tatia, Étienne and Ellie, Ben and Simone, Julien and Cordelia, and Z and Miranda. Of course, the SADEs weren’t dining, but they were joining in the lively conversation. Presumably, the premier subjects were the Ollassa and the Omnians’ adventures on the Ollassa home world.
And you’d risk their lives to chase entities that might never come this way. If only I could be sure of that, Alex thought.
A slender arm slipped though Alex’s, while he’d been musing.
“I heard that stomach grumbling, while you were out in the corridor, my love,” Renée whispered in Alex’s ear. “Let’s feed that enormous belly of yours.”
Alex patted his stomach. Twenty-three years after meeting the love of his life, it was still flat.
“And keep it that way,” Renée chided.
A host of server attendants populated the meal room. They’d extended their shifts, knowing the fleet would make orbit late. The crews would be hungry, but, more than that, they’d be anxious for a taste of life aboard the city-ship.
For the Omnian crews, the vessel, with its enormous gardens of trees, flowering shrubbery, and bubbling brooks, was a heartwarming place they thought of as home. Lining the parks was a collection of shops — eateries, goods, and entertainment — that could fill an evening and afford
an opportunity to relax and mix.
“Didn’t you eat?” Alex asked, as he chose an intimate table for the two of them, and the nanites-active, narrow seat under him adjusted to accommodate his width.
“Of course, I did. Only one of us is a foolish heavy-worlder, who ignores his needs,” Renée replied tartly.
Alex’s eyes narrowed at Renée, and she returned his stare with a warm smile. “Ah,” Alex said softly, realizing that Renée was intent on shifting his mood. “It was only there for a moment,” he protested.
“And who knows how long you’d have stood there brooding, when you should be eating, before I interrupted you,” Renée shot back.
Servers headed the couple’s way, interrupting their discussion. Renée had signaled she’d eaten, which meant the pile of food dishes, warm buns, and pitcher of hot thé were intended entirely for Alex. Every New Terran heavy-worlder tended to absorb two to three times more food than their companions of Méridien origin, and Alex was one of the largest heavy-worlders. The only Omnian greater in size than Alex was Benjamin “Little Ben” Diaz, who was sitting with his tiny Méridien partner, Simone, and shoveling food, as if it would disappear before he could consume it.
Alex nodded his thanks to the servers, who smiled at the sound of his gurgling stomach, as he took in the rich, delectable scents. As had become his habit, Alex ate directly from the serving dishes, which had been designed to accommodate the appetites of slender Méridiens.
Tatia waited until Alex had a good start on his meal, before she stood, quieting the audience. There was a moment when Simone had to gain Ben’s attention. A brief tittering from the others at his table accompanied his belated action to put down his utensil and a roll.
“We’ve no guests from whom to request a story,” Tatia announced. “Nonetheless, most of us were aboard our ships when momentous events took place on the Ollassa planet. We, the crew, request a story from Ser.”