After the press conference, Joel piloted their transport pod back to the hotel. The Chancellor and Pieter said goodbye and headed for their room. Joel also said goodbye as he handed Nik their bags. Nik and Angel headed for the transporter. Nik carried her bag as well as his own, while keeping close to her side to ward off strangers. He chaffed at the busy street, wishing he could break a path for her, but not wanting to have her out of sight behind him. In his opinion, she really should have at least one more person with her, but he knew she would not agree to whoever else Mischka might assign from the older Apaugallas. None of the new members were ready. They finally reached the transporter and let the operator know their first destination of the multiple jumps to home.
From Tuttenrock, Nik transported first, followed by Angel. Mary and Gillian met them at the transporter as the sun rose over the distant horizon.
“Fáilte dhachaigh,” Mary said as she hugged Angel and Nik.
“How was the trip?” Gillian asked.
“Boring and unproductive. It’s good to be home.”
Gillian laughed. “I expected as much. Come. Let’s chat about everything at your office.”
“Mama, Angel should rest at least a bit at home.”
Angel looked from Gillian to Mary. “Let me catch up, then I’ll be home for lunch and I will rest.”
Mary shook her head, but agreed. “At least I can walk with you to the Meeting House.”
As Angel reached for her bag, Nik picked it up.
The three women chatted on family happenings all the way to the Meeting House. “If you do not come for lunch I will come find you,” Mary warned teasingly.
“I’ll be there Mama.”
Nik followed Mary with Angel’s bag.
Gillian led the way to Angel’s office. “What happened at the Peace Conference?”
“Nothing. The Drotz ambassador talked for the better part of two days on how running this harmless machine on his planet that his people desperately needed could not possibly be causing the problem. Which left very little time for the Chancellor or anyone else to voice their opinion. I’ve never known anyone use so many words to say so little.” Briefly Angel described the events of the four-day peace conference. Angel pulled out the data crystal and handed it to her grandmother. She recalled the President’s stirring speech and wished she could make that kind of speech. “That’s the basics of it. I’ll let you listen to the Drotz ambassador when I’m not around. I don’t want to hear his rhetoric again.”
She asked about Jason and Jupiter and Gillian filled in the details that she had not wanted to Elders to know.
“Let me bring you up to speed here. A Krandulian freighter should be arriving soon to pick up the food shipment for Krandul later today in Analisse. Ian’s translator friend, Doug, is almost done with the books. Ian wants him to leave as soon as he is done, something about Petra. Otherwise, Ian enjoyed the time off. And I’m working with Elder Trielo to devise a curriculum for the time before the Great Cataclysm, including our ancestry to Earth.”
“I talked to the Parrhesian Chancellor during lunch one day. He would like to visit in a week or so. He has questions about how you made the changes.”
“I’d be glad to help him.”
“He will let us know when he will arrive.” Angel paused. “I probably need to get home before mama comes looking for me.”
“Let’s go home.”
That evening as Angel and Ian worked together on a lesson plan, she asked, “So Grandma said you want us to send your friend Doug back to Earth as soon as he is done. Why?”
“Doug is a troublemaker where the girls are concerned.” At Angel’s confused look he continued, “He’s the wine them, dine them, and leave them sort of guy.”
“What does that mean?”
Ian stared at her incredulously, but it was obvious that she was very innocent in the ways of teenage males or twenty-somethings for that matter. “Let’s just say Petra could get hurt.”
Angel smiled. “You like Petra?”
Ian sighed. Girls all over the universe seemed to have the same matchmaking tendencies. “We’re just friends. Doug could just as easily prey on someone else, like Sirvana or you.”
Angel laughed. “Good luck with Sirvana. She can best almost anyone our age in a fight.”
When Doug left several days later, Ian breathed a sigh of relief. He had managed to keep Doug to a few lustful kisses and ill-mannered groping. But he still worried about Angel’s innocence. On Earth she would encounter many like Doug and she was too innocent and trusting to know, until too late.
Several days after Angel returned to Llanelyn, the vidphone in her office beeped with an incoming transmission.
“Goesh muirnon,” Angel answered it, then recognized the caller as the King of Krandul.
“Goesh muirnon, Cerato,” King T’Ca said pleasantly. “How fares things on Llanelyn?”
Angel answered his polite questions as evasively as Gillian always had, describing the ascension ceremony and requisite tour through the village while leaving out the dream and the ongoing talks on Earth. “How fares Krandul?”
“Not well. Did our freighter leave yet with the food?”
“Aiy. It left four days ago I believe. Why do you ask?”
“It has not returned yet. Tis usually just three days there and back. We’ve been unable to reach the ship.”
Surprised, Angel dropped her smile. “I’m sorry to hear that. If we can help in any way, please let us know.”
The King smiled as if to reassure her. “I appreciate your kind offer, but we can handle this. I’ll send out a search vessel.”
Angel wished him good luck and he signed off.
After several days of helping Ian research politics and public speaking, Angel requested a night off from studying. “I’d like to see my friends. I’m tired of all work and no fun.”
Gillian remembered feeling similarly and agreed, suggesting that Angel change out of her Cerato robe for this one night. Angel eagerly agreed.
Angel contacted the others for a game night at the lunch area and everyone agreed. She asked Ian to join her. “Join us. You need to have some fun too.”
He relented, fully knowing that she had invited Petra and would probably push them together. What Angel did not know was that Petra had agreed that they were just friends and had confided that she was interested in Brok’s cousin, Tork.
For a while, the friends simply talked, catching up on what happened while Angel and Nik were on Earth, but finally broke into groups to play Penuchle, Poing, Chess, and several other games.
Ian was content just to play, watching with amusement the teasing and camaraderie of the friends. Though when Petra and Kira started teasing him, he found ways to return the teasing.
Nik allowed his guard to drop for the evening. Angel was safe here at home, among friends.
Chapter 9
Old Friends and New Friends
A few days later, the King of Krandul called again. After the usual pleasantries, he cut to the heart of the call. “We found the freighter. However, you should know that it was deliberately attacked. One of the crew caught enough to know that the attack was targeted at your shipment. The freighter was boarded, the cargo destroyed, and the communications equipment along with the engines were crippled. She was almost home when we found her and towed her in.”
“But why our shipment?”
“One more thing. These were hired mercenaries, paid to hit your shipment. You have an enemy it seems.”
“Drotz,” Angel whispered without hesitation.
“Most certainly,” responded King T’Ca. “They lack enough morals to destroy food just to embarrass you.” When Angel did not volunteer anything further, he asked, “What of the peace talks I heard about recently?”
Angel censored her true thoughts before she voiced them and merely replied, “They were less than we had hoped. All talk and little peace.”
The King chuckled. “Sounds like the usual pompous show
from Earth. They hope for peace and talk at length then resort to using their military armament when they could have started with that and saved everyone time.”
“You have dealt with Earth before?”
“Not directly. We do not need their help and have our own allies.” He studied her thoughtfully for a few seconds. “Would it be helpful to have a friend there, like us?”
Angel smiled. “Tis always goesh to have friends. I would be honored to have you at my side.”
The King nodded. “I myself cannot attend but I will send one of my sons to be with you the next time.”
“Tis agreed then. I will let you know the dates once I have them.” She paused, then continued, “Should I alert our other allies?”
“”Tis your choice but I would. Though I doubt many will care about the peace talks.” They talked for a few minutes about Gillian and how Angel was settling into her new role, then finally said good bye.
Angel spent the remainder of the afternoon contacting Llanelyn’s various allies and warning then about the attack on the Krandulian freighter.
The Tuttenrock Advisor nodded while she explained the situation. “Tis not surprising. We had some suspicious travelers come through bound for Llanelyn. They are being detained here.”
“What do you mean detained?”
“Our transporter operator did not trust them, so he held them in the beam while he checked them out. They had warrants out in many sectors. He transported them into a holding cell until we can turn them over to the proper authorities in one of those sectors.”
“Danku,” Angel said, suddenly nervous. She would tell Mischka and let him handle this.
Later, weary from all the conversations with the representatives from the other allies, Angel laid her head on her desk. She had told them all about the attack and the possible threat. Some had offered fighter escorts while others had scoffed at the idea. A few like Tuttenrock were glad their shipments went by transporter.
Nik entered her office to escort her home for the evening. “Angel are you alright?”
Angel jerked upright. “Nik you startled me.” She sighed. “I wish I could give this job back to grandma.”
“What happened?”
Briefly she summarized the attack, the travelers on Tuttenrock, and the rest of the conversations.
“You should at least tell your grandparents and seek their advice.”
“Aiy, I planned to. Will you come with me?”
“Aiy. I am here to escort you home.”
As they left Angel’s office in the Meeting Hall, Angel asked “Why? We are safe here.”
“Tis to ensure you are kept safe,” he lied thinking quickly to cover that he just wanted to see her. “What if Tuttenrock had not stopped those travelers.”
Angel fell silent, knowing full well who had given the order to Nik, her grandfather.
At home Mary had supper ready. She invited Nik to stay, as Ian left to join Kira, Petra, and Tork at the lunch area to play games. With a quick look to Angel, he agreed and quickly vidphoned home to let his mother know of the change. Unhappily she acquiesced.
Mischka took his usual chair at the head of the table with Gillian to his left and Mary to his right. Andrei and his family were there for dinner, so Andrei sat at the opposite end, with Angel to his left next to Mary, Nik beside her next to Andrei, and Andrei’s wife Luned to his right with their young son Misha between her and Gillian.
Angel briefly relayed the events of the afternoon, from the King’s call to her discussions with the other allies and the travelers detained on Tuttenrock. She looked pointedly at Misha once to indicate she had held back the worst in deference to his age. The adults merely nodded and said little until Luned headed home with the boy.
“Tell me the Cerato story,” they heard him ask as they left.
Mary shook her head in amusement and excused herself, not wanting to hear the details. She had followed in her grandmother Mirarae’s footsteps and much preferred cooking to traveling or tales of foreign lands.
Andrei muttered under his breath, then angrily whispered, “How uncaring can you be to destroy someone’s food simply because it came from us?”
“I was concerned they might retaliate against us for helping the Parrhesians,” Gillian said.
“Without ships we have no way to protect the shipments,” Andrei said.
“I’ll talk to Rhodri to see if he knows of these mercenaries.” Mischka paused then continued, looking at Angel. “You should let the Parrhesians know. They may be targeted as well.”
“What about letting Earth know?”
“Pah. They will not help.”
Gillian shook her head. “No they will not take sides openly yet. But do not underestimate them. I’ll handle Earth.”
“Angel, did any of our other allies want to change their delivery method or schedule?” Mischka asked.
“No. And I did offer that.”
“Right now the best option we have is to warn the others,” Gillian said. “Until we can find a way to stop them or protect the ships. In the meantime, I suggest we get some sleep. The Parrhesians are due in the day after tomorrow.”
Mischka pulled Andrei and Nik aside as Gillian and Angel headed to Angel’s room. “Get with Tashi and contact Roth. We need to know for sure who these mercs are working for. If we must use improper means to solve this, I want to know the true target.” Andrei started to leave but Mischka stopped him. “Do not tell your mother or Angel.”
Andrei nodded once and left the house, taking Nik with him.
The following day, Mischka and Gillian escorted Angel to the Meeting Hall. “I want to call Jason before he goes to sleep and before the Parrhesians arrive tomorrow,” Gillian said as she headed for a vidphone.
Mischka held back from following her. “I will call Rhodri then,” he said as he turned to leave.
Gillian smiled knowingly. “Aiy.” She had accepted years ago that he would never tell her everything about the Apaugallas, for which she was grateful. He understood the underhanded, dirty dealings of the criminals while she preferred to see only the good in people.
Gillian turned back to the vidphone and entered the transponder code for Jason and Morgan’s home vidphone. Morgan answered and after the usual exchange of family news, Gillian asked for Jason. She switched to a secure channel and briefly explained the situation to them. “I need you to relay to Joel. Maybe he can do some unofficial digging. I know they will not openly support such a trivial matter that does not directly affect them.”
“I’ll let him know. How is Angel settling in?”
“The travelers on Tuttenrock shook her up. We don’t know if they were going to cause trouble, just came to get information for the mercenaries, or merely were curious.”
“I’ll let you know if Joel says anything.”
“Thanks.”
“Be careful Jil.”
“I will.”
Mischka had the same conversation with Captain Rhodri from a vidphone at the Apaugalla Training Center.
“I’ll keep an ear out for anything, though many people know I help you out so I doubt I will hear anything useful,” Rhodri said.
On Earth the following morning, Jason put in an urgent request to talk to Joel. When Joel finally was able to call him back later that afternoon, Jason explained the situation.
“Sorry, I can’t help this time. If the mercs were to target a shipment to Earth, then I could do something.”
Jason sighed. “Gillian expected as much, but hoped you could do some unofficial digging to find out who these mercs are and who they are working for. Unfortunately, you know as well as I do how powerless Llanelyn is to stop anything like this without help.”
“I have a few guesses and I’ll see if I can find out anything. But you realize that will take time.”
“Gillian knows that.” Jason changed topics. “How are the peace conferences going?”
Joel grimaced. “About as bad as the media is saying. These talks are fruitle
ss when a warlike group is involved. We need to take action. But the peace loving people get their chance first.”
Jason agreed and they talked for a couple of minutes about getting together again soon before Joel signed off.
After breakfast, Mischka, Gillian, and Angel headed to the Meeting House to wait for the Parrhesian delegation. Nik and Tashi met them at the main doors.
“The transporter operator just called. The Parrhesians are coming through now,” Tashi said.
The group hurried to the transporter chamber on the edge of the village.
Pieter came through first, followed by the Chancellor and his advisors, one at a time. The Chancellor introduced his advisors to Angel and her family.
“How long can you stay?” Angel asked.
“Just two days. I need to return with the answers so that we can start planning.”
“Then we have two days to answer your questions.”
“Why don’t we start here,” Gillian said. As Mischka nodded in agreement, she began explaining their transporter agreement with Tuttenrock, their tracking mechanism for visitors, and how they handled the required safety checks and upgrades.
Once the Chancellor’s party had no more questions, they left the transporter chamber and checked in at the hotel before touring the village on the way to the Apaugalla Training Center. Mischka explained about their self-defense training regimen. “Nik trains here to better guard the Cerato. Others train here to be prepared in case any visitors cause trouble. So far we have had only a few troublemakers that were easily subdued and immediately transported back to Tuttenrock. They have holding cells where they put trouble makers, so they have told us.”
The Chancellor studied Mischka for a moment, then looked him straight in the eye. “We have a similar facility that Pieter trains in.” Mischka remained impassive, though both knew the implications.
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