“If you wish, we will provide an honor guard,” the illi-illi said.
“And we as will,” the bigboy added, quickly.
Hearing this, Lori demurred a moment, and said, “Very well. I will feel much safer with bodyguards from both of your parties. I know I can trust in your skill and bravery.” And better still, it pleased her greatly to have the two races working together.
The bigboy bowed slightly, pleased themselves, and the illi-illi fairly trembled in joy at her praise.
“Then it is settled. We will both accompany you to the surface of the Planet Magadana.”
“One thing I want understood from the start,” Lori said to the small group meeting in the captain’s conference room. “I stay only as long as I want, and it will be short. A short stay. Maybe only fifteen minutes, a half hour, I don’t know,” she said as she splayed her hands in front of herself. “Maybe longer, maybe shorter. I meet and greet, shake a few hands, exchange pleasantries, maybe a few gifts, chit-chat, whatever. But when I say I go, I leave. No arguments, OK?”
Seeing her determination, and knowing not to push her, she being thought to be near the very edge of canceling the whole thing, everyone nodded.
“OK,” the Captain said, and others murmured their assent, too.
Putting her hands down, and taking a breath, Lori said, “So how many do you want to go down in Eagle One?” She looked at Captain George. “And when?
“You and Hunter. And Tari if you agree to bring the baby. That would be really fine. And Tarue and Joshii, as ambassadors from Uta. And their kits, won’t get to leave them behind in any event.”
“That’s a full house. You?”
“I’ll be in the lighter with Morales. We’ll land first.”
“It’ll be safe for Eric? And Hunter?”
“Yes.”
“Who else?”
“Virtually every flying machine in the fleet capable of offensive or defensive action will be with us.”
“That bad, huh? On the surface?” Her face darkened, she was about to cancel the whole sortie again.
“No, that good. The larger the escort, the greater the importance of the dignitary.” She gave him a withering look. He held up his hands, saying, “True. Or at least, that’s what they seem to think down below.” Lori shook her head, and he went on, “Lori, think of it, hundreds of air cars, all arriving simultaneously, think of the noise, the glory, the sight, the impression it’ll make.”
“The targets they’ll all make?”
“Lori, if we had even the slightest fear that any sort of military action was planned, well, they know the consequences. The bigboys will burn the province from one end to the other. And the illi-illi will help.”
“Well, I don’t want that. It’ll be safe?”
“Yes.”
She nodded. “Very well. How soon? Has the flower bloomed yet?”
“No, and won’t until 24 hours after we go to orbit.” He smiled. “The first flower on the orchid won’t be fully open until then, Dawna said, after looking at the real-time video.”
“Oh, OK. Set departure for 0900 our time. I want a good night’s sleep. Then calculate our arrival time, let them know. And what about Borrelia, and his party?”
“I’ve already messaged the prime minister, to alert him. No reply yet.”
“Borrelia knows he’s stuck up here until we do?”
“Yeah, he’s fine with it, even if the granddaughter isn’t.”
Hunter and Eagle One gave Lori her orders, as they sat in the air car a day before departure, going over trajectories, descent rate, and destination coordinates.
“We scan for weapons before we go lower than one hundred meters,” Hunter said, “though we’ll have done that continuously anyway beforehand.”
“But there are going to be armies of soldiers, there. And those ground artillery pieces, and lord knows what else,” Lori said, trying to hide her exasperation, looking at the agenda and schedule.
“We have an exact count, and location, of all weapons to be carried. None will be armed, save those for the welcoming salvo,” Eagle One said. “Any discrepancies, and we will not land. And either a fully armed bigboy or an illi-illi detachment will be on guard at each gun.”
“OK,” Lori said.
“Then, once on the ground, and we have a choice of four different landing locations, we do nothing until Major Morales signals us to alight,” Hunter said. “The illi-illi and bigboys will deploy first, they’ll be armed to the teeth, but not visibly. The king will await us under the canopy, come out to meet us, and present you to the people...”
“He walks to me?”
“Well, he’s arthritic, or something, has difficulty in that. I suggest you meet him halfway.”
Lori considered that a moment, remembering the frail-looking figure in the videos. “OK,” she said. “I can do that.”
“The soldiers will march in review, and some others, too. Then we’ll adjourn to the tent, and be out of sight of most of the assembled greeting throng, only his immediate family, and higher dignitaries, also present there. Everything will go out on live TV, of course.”
“I’m expected to say a speech?”
“Very short. Very powerful. Very important. We have the draft you looked at, it’ll be on the floater,” Hunter said.
“Very dignified. You are the Sky Lady,” Morales added.
“And I’ll be all in blue, again?”
“Mostly. With gold piping on the cape, and...”
“What? Cape again?”
“Yeah, Umari suggested it. A few other additions, too, you’ll look great.”
“TV there?”
“Everywhere. Theirs, and ours.”
“I won’t look like a pretentious jerk, when this plays back home, will I? I won’t stand for that.”
“No, you will be an honored representative of your race, the leader of the expedition, and an ambassador from the Planet Earth. You will impress everyone.”
“Will each of the other planets be represented, too? I’d like not to be alone.”
“Yeah, each of the ship’s captains, and one other person, will be there, too. They’ll land before you, and form a line of honor for you, together with the bigboy and illi-illi bodyguard detail.”
“Oh, gads, really, Hunter...”
“No, they suggested it, not us,” he said.
She sat there, quiet.
“You should know that they love you, Lorelei,” Eagle One said.
“Oh. Yeah. OK. What else?”
“After the greetings, in the tent, there’ll be some brief entertainment, part of the welcoming tradition, then some refreshments–all checked out by our people–then some time for the holovision, if you feel like sticking around for that, and then informal discussions with King V’ming, probably meet some of his people. Only if you want.”
“OK. Then what?”
“Up to you. We’ll have the usual gifts to bestow, and probably receive a few, too. Stay for that and chat, or call it a day, and leave. Or leave anytime before that, as you wish, the captain said he can handle all the official stuff himself.”
“I’ll check with you both, before we decide on that. Oh, and tell the loadmaster I need to see him right away.”
Borrelia accepted the news he would be remain on the starship for a while with a nod, said he’ll enjoy watching the arrival on TV. His daughters and granddaughter were already in contact via phone to some of their young friends, and they were all plotting various lobbying efforts on his behalf, he said with a shake of his head.
“She is pleased already, and can’t wait to land. I cautioned her it may be a few brights, or so,” Morales reported.
On departure day, Lori awoke, cranky and annoyed. She hadn’t slept well, the baby had her up twice, and now her dark face greeted people as she fed him at breakfast in the dining area. Hunter’s cheerful greeting faded as he saw her look.
“What’s the matter, have a change of heart?” he asked.
“No, just tire
d and out of sorts. Bear with me, today, OK?”
“Sure. Anything you want to change? We can leave earlier, or delay...”
“No, let’s just keep on schedule, OK?”
“You want to cancel, postpone...?”
“No, we can go today, all right?” she said testily.
Hunter looked at her, changed the subject. “Did you see what’s happening below?” he said.
“No, not yet.”
“Put in on the screen?” he asked, eyebrows up. She nodded.
On the wall screen, vast blocks of dark looking soldiers marched in amazing precision, all converging on a slightly rolling grassy green field. A camera sweeping the low hills surrounding the assembly area showed multi-colored specks of civilian spectators, crowded on every square meter of open ground, even the scattered low trees filled with youngsters hanging in the branches. Overhead, a phalanx of expedition air cars circled on patrol, and outside their perimeter, native helicopters and small aircraft vied for position. In the midst of it all, dominating the view, and the center of attention, a tall, golden tent with three peaks occupied the level top of a small hill, with large wooden viewing and receiving platforms next to it at each compass point. Another grouping of smaller tents sat next to the large one.
Hunter pointed, “That’s where we’ll land, and meet King V’ming. Impressive, huh?”
Watching the screen, Lori thought, This is starting to look like the landing at D-Day. Or maybe Stevie’s reception on Ixixil. And for me?
Hunter said, “And it’s all for you.”
“No,” she said shaking her head, not willing to believe that. “It’s for the expedition, for all of us, the other races, too. Don’t you think?”
“No. I think it’s for you.”
She just shook her head again.
Lori dressed with Tari’s help, supervised by Umari, and Tarue. Her sky blue jumpsuit, over her body armor, at Eagle One’s insistence, and Lori’s quick acquiescence. She added the Browning underneath, to no one’s objection. Over that, on a loose, golden waist chain, the sheathed knife of Mackanima. Dark ankle-high boots. A jacket of deeper blue, lined with light blue silk. A scarf of Alice blue, and her navy blue battle cap. Last, Tarue brought out a flowing multi-hued cape, darker on the outside, lighter on the inside, with gold pipping along the edges, and a golden cord to tie around her shoulders.
“Bigboy?” she asked, looking at it.
“Of course,” Tari said. “They sent it over special.”
She looked at herself in the mirror. Actually, she liked it. She looked tall, and impressive. For a human, at least.
“Well, I’m the lady of blue, all right.”
“Yes, you are the Sky Lady,” Tarue said.
“Everyone else ready?”
Hunter wore clothes of deep burgundy and brown, with a jacket filled with communication gear. Tari wore a jacket, too, and carried Eric, he all bundled in blue and white bunting and blankets, the weather promised to be cool. Tarue, and Joshii wore sashes, like the Pokoniry, and the kits smaller versions.
The party went off to the docking bays, and settled in the air car.
But departure was delayed. First, the unexpected arrival of a half a dozen newly acquired cambots below, apparently from native news organizations, needed to be reviewed, this took a few minutes. At a smaller tent, a kitchen tent, that appeared a couple of days earlier, fresh foods arriving needed especial scrutiny. Then while waiting, Eric fussed and threw up, and needed a diaper change, all at once. Lori sighed, impatient, annoyed again, while Tarue and Tari attended to the infant.
Finally, back in the air car, and over a half hour late, Lori said, “Eagle One, situation at landing site on the planet.”
An overview of the landing site appeared on the screen on the dash. “Welcoming delegation is assembling. No deviations from program locations seen. Bigboy, illi-illi, and Pokoniry advanced party on site, report situation nominal.”
Lori watched the scene on the screen for a moment. She said, “Eagle One, your recommendation on proceeding with planned landing?”
Everyone in the air car looked at each other, not expecting Lori to delegate that decision to the air car. But she did, such was her trust in Eagle One.
“Lorelei, you may proceed with planned landing.”
“Is the escort ready?”
“Escort standing by outside.”
“Very well. OK,” she said, looking back at Hunter and the rest of her passengers. “Here we go.”
At Lori’s touch on the controls, the air car lifted a meter, and moved toward the end of the docking bay as it de-pressurized. The outer doors opened, and she smiled at the glittering array of air cars waiting outside, the entire area seemingly filled with strobes and blinking running lights. Eagle One moved out into their midst, and like a huge, silent flock of metal birds, they took flight, dropping away from the starships gathered overhead, and began to fall to the planet below.
The flight to the surface was a leisurely one, purposely, to allow time for those below to watch their arrival, and to guard against any further treachery, though none was expected. Lori noticed Eagle One made up a little of the lost time.
At five thousand meters, a wing of jet escorts, from several of the provinces, awaited them, and flew along, well to the side of Eagle One and the expedition air cars. Then, dropping steadily, they maintained enough speed to stay above Mach One, and overflew the landing site, producing a tremendous roaring, rolling boom, that shook the land and people below. The massed air cars dispersed in all directions, like a flower blooming in the sky, smoke and tendrils of colored vapor marking their paths. Lori let Eagle One zip by, then climb and lazily thread its way downward, through the opening mass of her escort.
A dozen air cars raced in, and landed on a broad swath of green grass, before the tall wooden reviewing stand near the bigger tent, it festooned with flags, banners, and trailing colorful strips, all wavering in a mild breeze. On the grassy field below the tents, the masses of troops, and behind them, clouds of people stood, their upturned faces a hazy blur in the dark mass.
With air cars all around her, she waited, flying around slowly, while the advanced party hurried out and took up positions along the carpeted route to the main tent from one of the platforms.
Eagle One said, “Situation continues nominal. Landing site clear,” and slowly began descending from the group of air cars surrounding it. This was the most dangerous time, Hunter knew, looking every which way outside, especially when a loud boom sounded, and a gout of white smoke flashed from one of the eight large guns off to the west. The kits jumped, looking out at the source of the noise.
“Artillery salute authorized,” Eagle One said, slowing more. As the last of 16 shots sounded, it landed on a large, circular, burgundy carpet, with a longer runner leading to the center of the tent.
Eagle One turned to the side, and the canopy slid back. A cool wash of fresh air hit them, full of scent: flowers, cordage, carpeting, and food.
Her illi-illi and bigboy honor guard, and the people from all the other starships, stepped to the edge of the long carpet, and waited. Tarue, Joshii and the kits left the air car first, stepped ahead a few paces. Hunter stepped down, and turned to face the air car. Lori sat still, for a long minute, looking out, her gut tight, her breath sharp, fear in her heart. She looked back at Tari and Eric, still safe here within the air car. She looked out again, and took a deep breath.
When Lori stood up, the air filled with sound. Shouts from the assembled military troops, as they snapped to attention, a clank, and a loud burst of music, then a quieter melody, which continued. Another loud boom, followed by seven others, eight in all, quickly, one after the other. Far off, but drifting to her ears anyway, cheering from the civilian crowds.
Lori stood still, looking straight ahead. From out of the shadows of the tent, a figure slowly moved, a Damai, old, stooped, covered with a gilded cape, and holding a massive, bejeweled staff.
A loud, amplified voic
e said, and translated in her earpiece, “His esteemed, most royal highness, King V’ming, welcomes the Sky Lady to the land of Tajmyr. Long live the King. Long live the Sky Lady.” This, she later learned, was language reserved for ceremonial greetings of royalty, only, never before said for others. But this occasion never occurred before, either.
Slowly, carefully, with dignity, she hoped, Lori stepped down and onto the carpet covering the soil of Magadana. She walked forward, step by step, Hunter just behind her, her face serious, unchanging. Tari stayed behind with Eric, for now. She stopped six paces away from the King, as Borrelia instructed her. TV cams perched everywhere, and cambots hovered all around, as well.
As a guest, her instructions were to speak first, to request an audience. Borrelia suggested language, but Lori used her own. “Greetings from the star people, King V’ming, kind and gentle protector of his people. I, Lorelei Saxon Sloane Lindbloom, the Sky Lady, and leader of the second expedition to the star cluster we call 47 Tucana, respectfully request an audience with your esteemed self, to discuss matters of importance to the people of both our fair worlds, and the six worlds of the known federation of intelligent species.”
There, she’d managed to include everyone, but suspected they had no idea of what the hell she was talking about in the last part of the greeting. All the better, to remain a bit mysterious.
The king shuffled forward, and bowed to her slightly, something she’d forgotten to do to him. He extended a hand, his left hand, she saw, and said, “Welcome, Sky Lady, to the fair land of Tajmyr. On behalf of my people, and all the peoples of my world, may I welcome you to our planet. May you find your visit here one of joy, and ease, and a happy time, one which will erase the memory of your earlier stay.” She raised her right hand, and he took it, and now she bowed to him.
“I look forward to meeting you and your people, in friendship and trade,” Lori said, standing up again. With his head up, looking at hers, the king held her hand a moment, then slowly released it.
“Now, come, the people wish to greet you,” he said, pointing to the reviewing stand off to his left. Walking side by side, saying nothing, the two people, the tall biped human, covered in blue, and the smaller, four legged Damai, covered in a golden cape, went to the reviewing stand, slowly climbing the inclined ramp, and stood at a railing. An Anawoka stood behind them to translate. Eagle One drifted up, and hovered just behind and above the two, while the remainder of the honor guard took up position all around them. Overhead, higher still, the sky seemed filled with air cars, most suspended in place, only a few active on random patrol.
T-47 Book II (Saxon Saga 6) Page 50