by Unknown
“Worried about Mike and Jim Ramey?” Thompson asked, trying to break the tension.
Dickson looked over at his friend and First Officer. He knew Thompson was trying to bring him back out of his worries and the thought amused him. “That far gone?” he asked.
Thompson shrugged. “Well, your eyes were about to burn a hole through the viewscreen, so I thought I would at least save us some maintenance time,” he said nonchalantly.
Dickson chuckled. “I’m just a little concerned about leaving them down there alone, especially this close to the climax.”
“They should be alright,” said Tosh, sitting casually in her chair. “And this is far more important to the Therans than Mike’s problem. It is a chance to get in touch with their history and to grow as a civilization. Bringing these two people together, if it is done correctly, can change their world more fundamentally than anything we might do,” she said.
“I hope you’re right, Commander. If these people are from the colony that abandoned this planet, then their reunification can help bridge over 5,000 years of history and culture,” he said. “Even a whole starship full of Mike and Jo Wilkes’ wouldn’t be able to accomplish that much”
“And between the Therans, the Antherans and the Wilkes’, I would love to be around just to watch,” said Thompson with a grin.
“Agreed, Number One. At the same time, I don’t want to be away when the action begins on the rescue. We will be greatly needed.”
“I don’t anticipate any problems being back on time,” said Tosh. “As a matter of fact, the only one that worried at this point is the Prime Minister.”
“Where is he, by the way?”
“I left him in the observation lounge about an hour ago,” she said. “He wanted to go somewhere so that he could watch us travel, as he put it,” she said smiling now as well. It had amused her that anyone would want to just sit and watch the stars go by. “I better drop by and make sure he’s OK,” she said, getting up and making her way to the pneumatic elevator.
The forward observation lounge was two decks below the bridge, overlooking the forward part of the ship. There was a bar, soft music and people mingling off duty. Prime Minister Fredo had served his King for more than two decades. During that time, he and the King had grown very close and very alike in their thoughts and desires. When the Captain had called on the King to offer this opportunity, Fredo was the first man the King had thought of. As he sat in his comfortable chair he remembered six years before when these Alliance people had first come into his office. At first he could not believe what the King had told him of their capabilities, but the King didn’t exaggerate. He remembered hoping that one day he could travel in one of their space ships. Now he sat sipping some sort of beverage and watching the ship go so fast that the stars themselves were leaving streaks in the night sky. Several of the crewmembers had come over and said hello and wished him well. These were good people, he thought to himself. They had so much, but never showed their superiority in any way. They even went out of their way to make him feel welcome. He might expect that from a Captain or the officers, but from the common crewmen, it was extraordinary indeed. He was still sitting and staring into space when he sensed someone sit beside him at the table. He looked over at Tosh sitting next to him.
“I sense you are a little worried about this meeting,” she said.
“More worried that I may wake up and find this is only a dream,” he said. “Never in my life have I ever thought this was possible,” he said smiling at her.
Tosh could sense his amazement and curiosity. But there was something else there as well. “It’s the same with many of the planets we first meet. And sometimes we meet with civilizations more advanced than we are. In each case it’s the chance to learn and grow,” she said.
Fredo nodded. “We have so far to go,” he said with a slight sigh. “Even meeting with our own people we are so far behind.”
“And that’s what’s bothering you isn’t it,” she said.
The Prime Minister looked over at her. “You seem to know what I am thinking.”
Tosh smiled and sat back. “In a way, I do,” she said. “I have the gift of extra sensory perception. People with this gift are used in our fleet to help establish relationships with other people, mainly because I seem to know what they are thinking and how they are reacting to things. It has been helpful many times.”
Fredo perked up. “So you are from the same planet Mike and Jo are from?”
“I am,” she said warmly. “In your case, I can sense you are worried about the mission and its outcome,” she said.
Fredo giggled. “Well, you have read me fairly well,” he said. “My King and I go back a long way and he trusts me with some of the more difficult assignments. But this one,” he gestured by throwing up his hands around him, “I am out of my depth.”
Tosh had heard this before with crewmen experiencing new situations, especially those of great importance. She sat forward and placed her hand on his arm. “Look at it this way. If you hadn’t already shown great credibility in strange situations, you wouldn’t have been chosen for the job,” she said. “And you are forgetting that you have a ship full of people you can call on who have done this type of thing many times before. Captain Dickson is ready to act if necessary if things are not as they seem, but your diplomatic approach is what is really needed. From what I hear, you have been very successful in dealing with other nations. It’s the same thing really. They are just another nation of people wanting a relationship with you,” she said.
“You make it sound so easy,” he said still staring out the window. “If only it were.”
She smiled at him. “It will be. Besides, from what my senses tell me, they are just as anxious to meet and re-form a relationship with you. That usually works out for the best.”
The Prime Minister looked at her and tilted his head as if thinking. A smile appeared on his face. “Maybe I should enlist some help,” he said, his smile growing, liking the idea forming in his mind. “What if you would assist me. You obviously feel at ease with these interstellar relationships, and you can sense their feelings. You can sit with me at the table,” he said taking her arm.
Tosh thought about it for a moment. “I think that would be a good idea,” she said. “I’m sure the Captain would approve.”
Fredo looked pleased and she could sense him relaxing more. “Thank you,” he said. They were interrupted by a call over the communication system.
“Prime Minister, we are coming up on the Antheran ship, would you and Commander Tosh please join me on the bridge,” Dickson asked.
Fredo looked around and hesitatingly said, “I would be happy to.”
“We’re on our way, Captain,” Tosh said. Then she looked at him and said, “Shall we, Prime Minister?”
“By all means.” They stood and walked together out of the lounge toward the elevator.
On the bridge, Dickson was studying the ship that had just come into view. It was a very large ship, about twenty times the size of the Lexington with an arm extending in front and behind of a very large rotating sphere. The front arm held a pod that appeared to be the ship’s bridge area, while the rear held a large engine pod. In the center, the rotating sphere was the only thing moving on the ship. There was a circular ring surrounding the sphere horizontally, which added support to the arms forward and aft. The sphere appeared to be approximately three kilometers across, rotating on some sort of mechanical bearing system at the fore and aft end. There was no exterior illumination. Occasionally a bright glow would appear out of the rear pod as the engines maintained velocity. There was still no hail from the ship.
Tosh and Fredo entered the bridge and Dickson invited them to join him. “There’s the ship from your past,” Dickson said. “They are at extreme range at present, but we should be up to them in a few moments,” he said. He slowed the Lexington to stage 2 to make his approach more cautious. As they drew nearer, Tosh began to shake her head periodically.
Dickson noticed it but said nothing.
Staring strangely at the viewscreen, she turned to the Captain. “Captain, there’s something different over there, a presence different from the rest. I recommend we use caution.”
“How different?” he asked.
She stood for a moment. “Difficult to tell. It is a very strong and commanding presence and it is telepathic. I can sense it talking to others and somehow preventing something from happening. What, I do not know, but something,” she said.
Dickson thought a moment. “Let’s be a little more careful,” he said. “Shields up. Go to yellow alert,” he ordered.
The bridge crew responded immediately and reports began coming in on the ship’s status. He turned to Prime Minister Fredo. “This is just a precaution. For all we know this might be a trap of some kind.”
“I understand, Captain,” the Prime Minister said, a little uncomfortable with that particular thought.
Suddenly Tosh sat back as a voice entered her mind. “You are a newcomer, are you on the way to greet us?” the voice said to her.
“Captain, I am being contacted telepathically,” she said. “It is asking if we are coming to greet them.”
“These are telepathic messages?”
“Yes sir, and directed at me since you are not hearing them.”
“Then please relay to them that yes, we are on the way.”
“I can hear him through you, and I thank you for being an intermediary,” the voice said. She repeated it to Dickson.
Dickson looked at Thompson sitting next to him. “It seems we have made contact, Number One,” he said looking back at Tosh. “Most of our species are not telepathic, and we rely on voice communications. Can you establish those communications with us?” he asked.
“Our people can. Please be ready to receive our signals,” the voice said through Tosh.
Almost immediately the communications watch officer spoke up. “Sir, we are being hailed.”
“On screen.”
A man dressed in loose fitting clothing appeared and spoke to them.
“I am Hasla, the Captain of this ship,” he said. He was a very old man with white hair and wrinkled face.
“And I am Captain Fred Dickson of the Alliance Space Cruiser Lexington. We are bringing a representative from your home world, Prime Minister Fredo. We are anxious to come aboard.”
“Is the Prime Minister there?” the man asked.
Fredo stepped up beside Dickson. “I am here, bringing you a welcome from the people of Thera.”
The man looked visibly relieved. He began to smile and even to shed tears. “For nearly fifty years we have traveled to return home. Our sensing equipment is picking up a large ship approaching us and our mentor says he is speaking to someone aboard. Is this you?”
“It is,” Dickson said. “With your permission, we will maneuver alongside.”
“Yes, yes!” the man exclaimed. “If you would like, we can send a pod to bring you aboard,” he said.
“That will not be necessary,” Dickson said. “Are you on the bridge of your ship?” Dickson asked.
“Yes, I am in the command center,” the man said.
“Then with your permission, we will arrive at your command center in approximately three minutes.”
The man looked surprised. “You can do this?” he asked.
“With your permission.”
“Then yes, granted. I will have a reception waiting,” he said and the screen went blank.
“I wonder how we should take that,” Thompson said.
“I sense no hostility at all, Captain,” said Tosh. “As a matter of fact, they are genuinely surprised that we are here this soon.”
Dickson turned to Thompson. “What do our sensors say about weapons?”
Thompson punched up the information. “There appears to be some sort of high energy laser system, but only directed in the forward areas. It may be for clearing a path for the ship,” he said. “Scanning the interior, I am picking up no energy weapons at all.”
Dickson nodded his head. “Then let’s assume they are not hostile at least. Prime Minister, are you ready?”
Fredo looked uncomfortable, but anxious. “I would like Tosh to accompany us, if I may.”
“Most certainly,” he said. “Shall we?” The three of them began walking toward the exit.
An hour after leaving the underground city, Mike and the rest of the men appeared out of the woods into the camp. The effect on the natives was electric. They shrank back to the opposite side of the camp and stayed there. Josen and Panor heard the excitement and climbed out of the plane they were preparing for departure. They had been told that all were dead in the cavern and were sadly doing as Mike had told them. When the men arrived, they jumped from the plane and ran to greet them.
“You’re supposed to be dead!” Josen said as he grabbed Mike by the shoulders.
“Not me, I just keep popping up,” Mike said looking into Josen’s smiling face. Panor was checking his father out when he suddenly turned and glared at the natives cowering just out of reach.
“Well, I see I can’t rely on any of these men to help us out,” he said with a sour face. Chief Mogar looked at him and then slowly looked toward the ground. “These guys came back saying you had all been consumed in the cave. It’s obvious they weren’t brave enough to even look inside,” he said scowling.
Mike saw the effect on the natives and placed his hand on Panor’s shoulder. “We’re ok, let’s leave it at that,” he said. Then Hadaie emerged from the trees. His hair was, once again, glowing. He had remained behind to check in with the Lexington before following the men through the tunnel and along the path in the forest and had run back One of the natives gave a shout and pointed as he walked into the light.
“I left the doors open in the cave,” he said. “It may allow some of the animals to transition from the enclosure to the outside,” he said. About that time they heard a rustling and saw a bird fly between some of the trees.
“It seems some of them have already found their way out,” Mike said. Then he said, “We need to do something about these guys,” he said motioning toward the tribesmen. “We need them for our plans, but they won’t be much use if they just turn and run away from something they’re afraid of,” he said. Then he looked at Hadaie and gave a sly grin. “You’re their god. Do you think you can talk to them?”
Hadaie raised his eyebrows. “I can attempt to appeal to their honor,” he said. Hadaie then turned and walked toward Chief Mogar. When he reached his side, Mogar looked up at him. “I believe we should talk,” Hadaie said, taking Mogar’s arm and leading him away.
Mike looked back at Rokka. He and his sons had made their way to the side of the plane and were talking. The Colonel had plopped onto a log by the fire and was rubbing his temples. The major was nowhere to be seen. Mike went over and sat down beside Colonel Leftin.
“Headache?”
Leftin grunted. “No worse than usual. Comes with the territory, I guess.”
“Hang on a sec,” Mike said as he got up and walked to the plane. He reached into his bag and pulled out a small pill. Walking back, he gave it to the Colonel. “This will fix you up,” he said.
The Colonel took the pill and figured it would be like the other he usually took. To his surprise, it seemed to melt in his mouth and within seconds, his headache was gone. "What the hell is that?” he asked. The surprised look spoke volumes.
“You’ll probably have it in another hundred years. Just count it as a fringe benefit of working with the Alliance,” he said with a grin.
He colonel smiled. “I could get used to this,” he said easing back.
Mike got a more serious look. “You’re a military man, Colonel. I’m just a 27 year old diplomat. Tell me,” he said. “What do you make of our chances?”
The Colonel looked Mike in the eyes. He saw it all there, the youth and inexperience, the worry about his son, the anxiety, but something else. This man was definitely smart
. He was also quick in picking up things. But what pleased the Colonel was that look. Something he had seen in few enough of his officers, but in those few was worth all the wealth of the King’s treasury. This man was a born leader. He listened to all sides, made his decisions and then stuck to them. Then he inspired others to go with him. Now he was asking his opinion, being a senior military man. Not afraid to ask when he doesn’t know. Not bad, he thought. The Colonel took a breath. “Pretty fair as these things go,” he said finally. “Getting the truck and getting in our chances are good. All of us getting out of there with our skins in one piece and with you and your son alive – less than 50-50. I wish I could give you better odds, but we knew it was a long shot from the beginning, didn’t we,” he said honestly.
Mike gave a frown and nodded his head. “Yea, I guess we did,” he said.
The Colonel slapped him on the arm. “Don’t worry, Marine. We’ve pulled ‘em out of the fire in worse cases than this,” he said grinning. “I ever tell you about something I did five years ago? Took a company of men and stormed the Prime Minister’s office. He was a traitor and we had caught him at it. Well sir, they told me I would be lucky to come back alive. More than 200 personal guards around that place. But you know,” he said leaning over and placing his hand on Mike’s shoulder. “I didn’t lose a man,” he said with an evil looking grin that showed the gap in his evenly spaced teeth. “Now you’ve got two of the King’s finest with you. Hell, we could probably pick our teeth with what will be left,” he said with bravado. Then he gave Mike a wink. “We’re in the right, and we are going to get your boy back. Never lose sight of that,” he said.
“Besides, they pissed us off when they took your boy, didn’t they, Colonel,” Major Desti said emerging from the woods. He was carrying a large box they had brought on the plane, and gave a knowing nod to the Colonel, who acknowledged it with a nod of his own.
“And you never piss off a Marine,” the Colonel grinned. Then he turned to the Major. “Come on, let’s get some sleep. We’re gonna have a hell of a day tomorrow,” he said getting up from his seat. Then he and the major made their way to their cot in the aircraft.