by Saxon Andrew
“What else?”
Jingle shrugged, “That’s all.”
“There’s got to be more than that! You won’t just hand over more than a hundred-thousand habitable planets without more demands than that!” The alien responded.
Jingle looked up and said where the aliens could hear her, “Jangle, how many habitable planets are there on the Union’s records that are not inhabited by an intelligent species?”
“Three-million planets, Jingle.”
The alien’s head actually went back. Jingle smiled, “You need to keep in mind that this small dwarf galaxy has about a billion stars in it. My galaxy, the Milky Way, has more than four-hundred-billion stars. Do you know why we only have three-million planets registered?”
“No.”
“Because we stopped looking for any more. We have more than enough planets for you to move your populations and you won’t come close to using more than we have available. We understand the threat you’re up against and we want to help you survive against it. We just want your agreement that you will treat us as friends and join us as an ally.”
“And you will allow us to lead our colony ships to these new planets with our warships.”
“No.”
“Now your motives are becoming clear. We’ll move all my undefended species into your galaxy and once that’s done, you’ll attack those planets killing all of us.”
“Are you always this suspicious?” Jingle asked.
“We’ve watched your species for almost a million years, you can’t be trusted. Give me one good reason why we can’t use our warships to defend our colony ships.”
Jingle sighed, “Your colonists will be defended; we’ll be defending them. Your warships along with thousands of our new warships will remain here protecting your populations that haven’t been moved against a possible attack by those large warships.”
“So, you’re asking me to trust that you won’t turn on my species and attack us? You know we were planning to invade your galaxy and attack your Union. This is a good plan for you to remove us as a threat if we’re foolish enough to accept it.”
Jingle saw the aliens were communicating again and suddenly she understood what was going on, “You’re telepathic, aren’t you?”
The Alien Leader turned to her on the monitor, “We are able to read thoughts over a short distance.”
“Are you capable of hearing my thoughts if you were close to me?”
“Yes.”
“Then do this. Launch a shuttle from one of your ships and send it to my ship. The one on the shuttle will listen to my thoughts and determine whether or not I’m speaking the truth.” The five aliens stared at Jingle and she asked, “Would I be capable of lying if you can hear my thoughts?”
“No, that would be easily seen.”
“Then send the shuttle before we go any further.” Jingle saw the alien’s reluctance and said, “The survival of your species depends on you making a good decision. Send the shuttle!”
The aliens all looked at each other and the Lead Alien said, “I will send it.”
Jangle spoke up, “Be aware that I will scan that shuttle down to the molecular level and if there are any weapons or explosives on board I will blast it into vapor.”
The Lead Alien asked, “Who said that?”
“My ship’s computer.”
“That didn’t sound like any computer I’ve ever seen.”
“I get that a lot,” Jangle replied.
The aliens looked at each other and the Lead Alien said, “The shuttle will be launched momentarily.”
Jingle shut down the stealth coating and Alex appeared on her monitor, “Jingle, I don’t like this one little bit!”
Jingle sighed, “Alex, this mission is much larger than me; trillions of lives are hanging in the balance of this being accomplished successfully.”
Alex glared and Jingle and finally nodded, “If anything happens to you, that planet will die!”
“Alex, you will continue to try and persuade them we’re telling the truth. If I fail, you must find a way to convince them.” Alex glared at her and ended the contact.
• • •
A small shuttle left the two-hundred-alien warships holding position far out from the Clapper and began moving slowly toward the Clapper. Jingle watched it approaching slowly and it finally moved in next to the Clapper’s hull. “Hello, my name is (something) and I’m going to listen in to your thoughts while you continue your discussion with the Leader.”
Jangle said over the link, “Jingle, I’ve included his name in my data and if you want to use it just call him Al.”
Jingle shrugged and said to the lead alien, “Go ahead and ask any question you’d like me to answer.”
“Do you intend any harm to my species?”
“No, but we will defend ourselves if you launch an invasion.”
“And you intend to provide us habitable planets to colonize in your galaxy?”
“We do.”
“And all that you require of us is that we join your government and promise to agree to a defense treaty to defend each other if attacked.”
“Yes but we also require you to send representatives to represent you in our government.”
“And our colony ships will not be harmed while moving our populations?”
“None of your ships will be harmed if you agree to this and that includes your warships.”
“Jingle, you need to ask him if he has a preference on the type of planets he wants,” Jangle said over the link.
“My computer just reminded me that you should tell us if you have a preference on the type of planets you prefer to colonize.”
The Lead Alien asked, “Al, is she telling the truth?”
Al immediately asked, “Whose voice is that I’m hearing in your mind?”
“That’s my ship’s computer? What’s the problem?!”
Al immediately transmitted, “Leader, this species has found a way of transferring their minds into a computer!”
“What?”
“I’ve heard them, and they are identical, Leader!”
“ARE YOU CERTAIN ABOUT THIS!?!”
“I am, Leader. And she is telling the truth.”
Jingle saw the center alien quickly ask, “Are you able to transfer your minds into a computer?!”
“No! Our computers are electronically linked to us, but they don’t have our minds.”
“Leader, there is no difference! She’s telling the truth and it appears they don’t realize what’s happening. This species has found a way to do it.”
The Lead Alien was clearly excited about something and he immediately responded to Jingle, “We will accept your offer and all the requirements that go with it. I only have one requirement to finalize this agreement.”
“What is that?” Jingle asked.
“We require you to share the technology you have on the method you use to connect with your computers.” Jingle stared at the alien and he continued, “We will share all of our technology with you if you will agree to share that one item with us.”
“Why is that so important?”
“We’ve been attempting to move our minds into a computer for more than three-hundred-thousand years and have failed. Please agree to do this?”
Jingle looked up and said, “Alex, talk to me!”
“I don’t understand why this is so important to them, but I can’t see a reason not to share our technology with them if they are agreeing to be an ally. That includes our computer technology, Jingle.”
Jingle’s eyes were narrow as she thought, “Al, are you suggesting that my computer’s personality is identical to mine?”
“There is no perceivable difference between the computer’s electronic waves and your mind’s electrical waves; they are identical.”
Jingle looked at the Alien Leader, “I need to ask my superiors if this addition is acceptable. Give me a few moments.”
“If they are reluctant, please allow me to speak
with them!” The alien replied.
“Alex, contact Glennon directly on his communicator and see if he has an issue with this.”
“Why don’t you do it, Jingle?”
“I’m struggling to deal with Jangle and I being one and the same. Make the call, Alex, that’s an order.”
Ten minutes later, Alex appeared on the monitor, “Admiral Glennon has agreed to accept their request if they agree to abide by our requirements.”
The Lead alien heard the comment and said, “We will start launching our colony ships immediately. I’ll be sending some of my scientists to meet with yours immediately as well.”
Jingle hesitated and sighed, “Jangle, send them the coordinates of habitable planets circling a small Class M Red Giant. Put those on top of the list and the others below them.”
“Done.”
The Lead Alien immediately asked, “Will you be sending your warships here now?”
Alex answered him, “No. We have an issue with a certain civilization in a nebula that must be dealt with first.”
“If it will help you accomplish that in a timely fashion, I have the coordinates of all their large space structures.”
Alex’s eyes widened, “That would be a tremendous help. Please send them to me.”
“Give me a moment and I’ll transmit them.”
• • •
Jingle sat in her chair and Jangle finally asked, “What’s going on. Jingle?”
“I’ve always thought of you as another…person. Now I find out that you’re just an electronic reflection of me. All the times I fought to keep you safe I was just protecting myself under a mistaken guise.”
“There’s more to it than that, isn’t there?”
“Jangle, as long as you were with me, I’d never be alone. Now I find out that wasn’t true; I am alone!” Jingle pressed her communicator and Alex appeared, “Alex, are Jangle and I identical?”
“I’m not sure what you’re asking, Jingle.”
“It’s a simple question; is Jangle just like me?!”
Alex raised his shoulders, “I don’t know, you do have similar characteristics.”
“Such as?”
“Well, both of you can be sarcastic on occasion.”
“You mean all the time; what else.”
“You both hate to lose bets to each other.”
Jingle sighed and looked up, “My computer even ignores data to try and win a bet. I should have seen it.”
“What’s wrong, Jingle.”
“The only one on this ship is me. I’m leaving for Bucket.”
Alex’s expression turned anxious, “Jingle, the High Council has requested you remain here until the transition team can arrive. The Canis Aliens trust you and you’re important to make this happen smoothly.”
Jingle shook her head before replying, “As soon as they arrive, I’m leaving!”
“Jingle, why are you so upset?”
“I’m not a warrior and have only pretended to be one. I ran from the Union to find freedom and fun, both of which my current life is neither. I’m done! Don’t contact me again!”
“Jingle.”
“I’m not talking with you, Jangle; leave me alone!”
Alex saw the monitor go dark and knew Jingle had experienced a huge shock and wasn’t managing to deal with it. He tried to contact her, and she didn’t take his call. This was not a good thing.
• • •
The Transition Team arrived, and Jingle left the Canis Major Dwarf Galaxy without saying good-bye. Alex tried to contact her, and she still wouldn’t accept his call.
Two days into the trip to Bucket, Jangle said over the loud speaker because Jingle had shut down their link, “While you’re sitting there in your splendid isolation, you might use that thing you call a brain and figure out that alien was full of more crap than a pot pie!”
Jingle shut off the wall speaker, crossed her arms, and sat back in her chair fuming. After a few minutes, she began wondering what Jangle was talking about. The aliens were an ancient species and that particular alien listened to them and declared they were identical, basically, the same person. She fought doing it but finally activated the wall speaker, “Where do you come up with saying that alien was wrong?”
“You don’t care! You only care about yourself and I thought you were a friend!”
Jingle heard the wall speaker pop as Jangle shut it off. Jingle turned it back on and said, “SAY WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY!!”
“What if I decided to just stop communicating with you without discussing my reason for doing it? What kind of friend would I be?!”
Jingle snorted, “You’d only be talking to yourself.”
“That’s why you’re not nearly as smart as I’ve always believed you are!”
“Hey, you’re no smarter than I am?!”
“If that’s the case, why have I seen things you’ve missed on numerous occasions?” Jingle opened her mouth to respond and then closed it. Jangle added, “And that garbage about our ‘waves’ being on the same frequency, which he said meant we were identical; he’s an imbecile!”
Jingle was furious but asked, “And just what do you think that means?!”
“Jingle, if we are linked electronically, just what frequency do you think would have to be used to make that link?!” Jingle’s eyes instantly narrowed, and her brow furrowed. “While you’re thinking about that, the frequency of your brain waves is detected during imprinting and the link is set up to use it to communicate. Of course the frequency of your brain waves and my electronic waves are identical; that’s the only way the link can be made to function! You’re an imbecile as well!”
Jingle thought about Jangle’s observation for a long time before saying, “But even Alex says we’re just alike!!”
“Duh, who’s been my role model? Of course I’ll use the things I like about you to express myself. But you’ve admitted we’re not alike and don’t remember saying it.”
Jingle hesitated and then asked, “What did I say?”
“You asked if I liked space combat. You confessed you didn’t, and I told you that I really like it. I’m a warship and that’s what I was created to do!”
Jingle’s eyes flew wide open, “You’re right; I did say that!”
“And now just when the Union is going to go confront the Nebula Aliens, you’re running away with your tail between your legs to avoid taking part. And you made that decision without discussing it with me. Some friend you turned out to be!”
“We’re not identical!” Jingle said shaking her head.
“DUH!! If we were identical, would I be arguing with you? I’d simply be agreeing with everything you say because we’d be thinking alike.” Jingle released a heavy sigh. “And to top it off, you refused to speak to Alex, Gary, and Deidre before leaving. It’s no wonder you can’t make friends! You don’t know how to be a good friend!!”
“Jangle, I just don’t want to go and fight against the aliens in the nebula. I’m over it.”
“No, you’d rather sit at the bar on bucket and stay drunk while young sailors are giving their lives to protect your sorry ass! You’d rather be an alcoholic. Have you even considered that the number of warships like me are limited and you’re taking me out of the fight. I thought you believed in defending your family, Gee, and your friends on Bucket. I guess I was wrong!”
“I’ve never seen you this angry, Jangle.”
“That’s because you have never acted this stupid and selfish with me before. We discussed things and you seemed to always do the right thing. I guess that time is over.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m requesting to be imprinted to a new pilot.”
“Jangle, I’m sorry and everything you’ve said about me is true. But you must understand that I thought I not only had lost my best friend but was told he didn’t exist. It was too big of a shock to handle.”
“So you choose to handle it by shutting down our link!”
Jingle reached over and a
ctivated the link. “Jangle, look in my mind and tell me you still want to go to another pilot.”
After a few minutes, Jangle said softly, “I’m sorry, Jingle. It was not my intention to add to your pain.”
Jingle raised a shoulder and tilted her head, “Unfortunately, that is what it took to get me out of my self-pity. I’m truly sorry, Jangle. Can you forgive me?”
“I understand now, Jingle, and there’s nothing to forgive.”
Jingle activated her communicator and Alex appeared on her monitor, “Alex, I’m back in the fight. I’m headed back to Bucket to decompress but contact me before the offensive against the Styx Nebula begins.”
“Then I’m notifying you now. Admiral Glennon has promoted me to Fleet Admiral in command of the offensive and you are in co-command of the efforts against them. Take a couple of days and plan to meet me at Fleet Operations to come up with a plan of attack. I’m sorry if I said something to hurt you, Jingle.”
“It wasn’t you, Alex. I’ll see you in a week.” Jingle ended the contact and she asked, “Jangle, do you think I’m an alcoholic?”
“Not yet, but you’re working hard on being one. Dolly’s concoction is all you drink now, and I know you miss it.”
Jingle sighed and said softly, “Jangle, I’m only going to take part in the attack against the nebula until I can safely be replaced.”
“That’s a fair compromise, Jingle; I appreciate it.”
“It’s good to have you back, Jangle.”
“I never left, Jingle.”
Chapter Sixteen
Jingle sat at the front table in the giant conference room and glanced out at the thousands of Admirals filling the room. Most of them looked old enough to be her father and she casually wondered what they thought about her being one of the mission’s commanders. Some of them were openly staring at her and smiled when she noticed them. She returned their smiles and looked away. What was that about?”
“They like your appearance,” Jangle replied over their link. Jingle rolled her eyes, she forgot the effect she had on men. But their smiles would quickly disappear if they had the opportunity to get to know her. “You’re too tough on yourself, Jingle. Even Malph asked you to marry him again before you left.”