Trade World Saga

by Ken Pence

  “Well, did you ever travel on one of their ships?” Tod asked trying to look at the issue from a different angle.

  “Yes. I told you I did which is why I know about the threshold effects,” Lee answered.

  “How did you determine the threshold velocity needed?” Tod asked.

  “I knew when we departed and approximately where we were when we jumped. I estimated the velocity and guessed we would not cross the threshold at the lowest or highest velocity. The Ylee were very conservative,” Lee said.

  “That is interesting. I don’t think you explained it that way before and you said the threshold was rough.”

  “Yes. Quite rough and I overheard crew say that passage on the ancient vessels had been even rougher because they were not as fast,” Lee said.

  “That is useful,” Tod said and stared off to the side for a few seconds. “Did you ever see the exterior of one of their ships?” he asked.

  “Yes. I saw the ship I traveled on before I boarded and as I was leaving,” Lee said.

  “Can you describe it?” Tod said.

  “Yes,” Lee said and stood there.

  “Would you do so now?” Tod asked.

  Lee stood there for a moment and then said. “Would you prefer a digital image of the ship – it is noticeably degraded due to memory damage over the millennia but I can assemble enough from multiple images to improve the quality a bit,” Lee said.

  Tod’s mouth dropped open and Steve sat forward and started paying attention again. “Yes” – they said simultaneously.

  Lee scanned the wireless inputs and outputs of the display and suddenly a blurry image began to form on the display. It became clearer as other images were overlaid and shifted in position. Then the image appeared in near crystal focus. “It is not the best image this instrument can display but that is about the best I can do,” Lee said.

  “That is outstanding,” Tod said tilting his head from side to side. “What are these streaks or blurs on the image?”

  “Those were the Ylee, themselves, traveling in movers. The ship was stationary and I had many, many images of it to composite – not so with the Ylee,” he said.

  “Do all their ships have these two rings?” Tod asked indicating rings at the extreme ends – fore and aft on the exterior of the ship.

  “I do not know,” Lee said.

  Steve moved closer to the display and pointed at the display. “It looks like they must have projected a field to encompass the ship from the ends. I wonder if it’s similar to what we are doing now. What are we missing?” Steve said studying the image. “Look at this smaller ring just inside the larger. What do you think that is?”

  Tod moved closer also. Too bad we don’t have three dimensional images, he thought. “Maybe… it’s a focusing ring like on an MRI.”

  “MRI?” Lee asked. “Oh. I had not accessed those files…magnetic resonance imaging using cesium gas sensors and room temperature superconductivity. Your technology using magnetic spin detection of hydrogen is quite advanced. Do you think the interior ring could be a focusing element?”

  “Possibly,” Tod said. “I wonder if the transport effect is created similar to quantum entanglement.”

  “You know that became a catch-all phrase like fibromyalgia. Any extra-dimensional effect becomes quantum entanglement,” Steve said.

  “It doesn’t make the effect any less real. We have our communication system that works over 100 light years. That formula makes a weird kind of sense if we assume multiple dimensions are equidistant and the negative mass of the universe is simply hidden mass that we don’t detect,” Tod said.

  “Rett always said gravity was a push and that is how we got our ships working even if we didn’t understand all the theory. It seems reasonable that standing waves near Planck limit wavelengths would still play a part in this. All our advances are based on that gravity control. This might be like a ramjet – it doesn’t work ‘til you get it up to speed. The inner ring could be how they designated where they wanted to go. We’ll need to run some experiments,” Steve said and looked at Tod.

  Tod tilted his head up in his typical thoughtful pose and then said, “I’ll gather up the team and you start collecting what you think we’ll need. We’ll have to use the Junior – that will require us getting Andrew and Brad’s approval. I suppose we can get an appointment within the Enclosure. That way we can get a year of research with just 6 days of current time. I’ll get you the approvals we need. I’ll need Joel and the Odin Research Team. Think we’re still set at the forty days for every actual day rate on food, air, and disposal. We’re way over double the best of any of the other enclosures on Earth.” Tod continued thinking out loud. “We’ll have to ramp up supplies and waste removal. Having slightly higher oxygen pressure inside is helpful too. I’ll go see Andrew and Brad.” He left Steve and Lee almost like Rett had left.

  Maybe I’m picking up Rett’s old habits – leaving like a cat – without a large departure scene.

  ***

  Andrew was as pleased to see Tod as a person could get by without drugs ranceceenduto en. The digital image from Lee Post made him ecstatic because he had had no idea where to start even investigating the Ylee drive.

  “So you see, we need the Junior to gather the data.”

  “Great. I’ll go with you and Steve on the flight to record data,” Andrew said. “We will take Lee Post with us won’t we?”

  “Yep. We should take Shiv too – if she wants. Shiv always comes up with novel ideas,” Tod said. “LeiLei will want to go with Joel. Desiree will come with me – at least, I think she will.”

  “You haven’t asked her? You better get on it. We should have everything pretty much on board. We can be ready tomorrow afternoon.”

  LeiLei and Joel came on board early and starting setting up the recording devices and algorithms. Shiv came on with Andrew, Tod and Desiree. Susan and Steve came in with a couple of cases of instruments.

  “Little help here,” Susan said.

  “What’s all this stuff?” Andrew asked.

  “Good scientists have the best stuff,” Susan smirked. “You know – instruments and stuff.”

  “Thank you for clarifying that for me,” he said and patted her rear.

  “Stop fraternizing with the crew,” Tod said.

  “Okay. Steve and Ling on board already?” Andrew asked.

  Tod nodded.

  It took them another three hours to square away all the loose ends. They were finally ready.

  “Good. I want to record everything.” Andrew directed. “Let’s get set up folks. Do we have our clearance from Brad and the ERF? Good. Set course toward Vega. We aren’t going to go that far but we need to head in some direction and that’s a pretty clear shot once we’re out a ways. Communications up. Test message is working on transmit and receive. Good. Let’s scan. Nothing really close…Steve. Everyone set…shipwide Steve…Let’s start at 750 lights for an hour and see what we get. Have the ERF transmit continuously. We countdown and go as soon as their transmission begins – you copy that, Steve?”

  “Copy, Captain. ERF Luna Trade Station is transmitting. Ten…nine…” …the transition to flight was an anticlimax. The time passed quickly and they dropped out of their travel mode. “Still receiving them – Captain – we never stopped.”

  “Very good, Mister Cutcher. Let’s crank it up 250 to 1,000 lights.”

  “Aye Aye, Captain,” Steve said and switched to shipwide, “Countdown from ten. Ten…nine…” and again their transition to and from travel was disappointing after a big buildup.

  “Crank it up another 250, Mister Cutcher to 1,250 lights. Still receiving them?”

  “Yes, sir. Five by five.” Steve switched to shipwide on all the MemDexs. “Okay, people. Keep recording and we’ll go to 1,250 lights in ten. Ten…nine…” this transition was smooth but Steve, Tod and LeiLei noticed some odd readings they all mentioned when they dropped out of travel mode.

  Shiv brought the anomalies into focus for e
veryone by giving a short summary. “There appears to be a spike in communications and a background radiation frequency shift when we first transitioned at 750 lights. There are lessor frequency shifts when we return from travel mode. There were shorter and shorter duration shifts as we transitioned at 1,000 and 1,250 lights but the frequency change was exponential toward shorter and shorter wavelength of standing wave, background radiation.”

  “Okay, folks. Let’s see what this baby can do. Lee – how fast can we travel with your last lamlee upgrade,” Andrew asked Lee Post who had been taking in all the action with aplomb. Andrew thought he detected some discomfiture on Lee’s part at the question but he answered rapidly.

  “The ship – we – should be able to reach 1,500 times lightspeed.”

  “Thank you, Lee, Mister Cutcher. Let’s see to this last leg of the test and then we’ll head back,” Andrew said.

  Steve switched to ship-wide and counted down to zero. The Junior smoothly transitioned to 1,503 lights for two hours and then dropped out of travel mode.

  Andrew was about to congratulate everyone when Steve interrupted.

  “Sir, I’ve detected a ship at extreme range.”

  “Are there any ships expected in that area? What can you tell me from the readings,” Andrew asked.

  “No ships expected from that area sir…and sir,” Steve said with a bit of trepidation. “They changed course to intercept right after I detected them so they have detection gear equal to us or nearly so.”

  “Damn. Who are they and where did they come from? Anyone know anything about these people? Shiv – Do you?” Andrew said as Shiv came onto the bridge.

  Shiv looked at the display and readings. “Their ship is extremely large and may be as fast as ours,” Shiv said. “They are still distant but they appear to be traveling at 1,200 lights. That is faster than any other ships we have encountered. That may not be their top speed.”

  “We’re a light year from Earth. We’re still in contact with the ERF. Get us some backup out here. I don’t want to contact a new species by our lonesome. We’ve had to fight almost every group we’ve met. How long ‘til they get here Steve?”

  “They’ll be here at the rate they’re traveling they’ll be here in four hours. Best time we could expect backup is about six hours from now if we stay here,” Steve said.

  “We could always head back toward Earth ourselves to meet our backup. We could get backup about an hour before they reach us,” Andrew said and paused. “I don’t want to set that precedent though. Everyone suit up. It will make navigating around more difficult but it is easy to take suits off. Keep my suit near at hand. I’ll talk with them when they get close enough for a video signal. Freely call out any ideas you have on these folks. Somebody get our manuals displayed. What language did they use to contact us?”

  “Trade, Captain. Pretty standard phrasing,” Steve said.

  “Send them the standard spiel asking them to list the ship’s complement, trade goods on board, requested accommodations, and length of stay when they get in communications range,” Andrew said.

  “Sir, they have increased speed to 1,450 lights. They’ll be here about an hour sooner now,” Steve remarked.

  “That doesn’t seem friendly,” Andrew said. “Shiv, I’d like to make you an offer. Folks, here’s what I’m thinking we ought to do. We keep shields up and ready to fire but let them make the first move. We’re out here by ourselves and I don’t want to show weakness. Every species has tried us first. Every species thinks they are superior – we need to keep our reputation. How many military grade suits do we have? We should have enough. Here’s what I think we should do.

  ***

  The alien ship approached rapidly. It was huge, a good five times all the dimensions of the Junior. The Earth ship identified itself, as soon as it was within hailing range. Andrew was the only crewmember without a full suit so he could quickly put on his helmet. He wanted to be able to use video if needed. Andrew hailed them again, welcomed them to the Earth system and asked if they wished to exchange information.

  “Sir, they are responding. They identify their ship as the Sesstra, a member of the Allung Brotherhood. We are to send the Captain and one other representative or they will destroy our ship.”

  The Junior suddenly rocked. “Good Gawd,” Andrew said. “What the hell was that?”

  “Sir, they just fired on our ship and the shot punched a hole in our starboard quarterdeck.” Steve listened to a short report from aft. “We took a casualty…Anderson. Didn’t know what hit him. We know we probably can’t outrun them and they have lasers almost as powerful as ours. I doubt they’ll wait long before they start punching more holes,” Steve said.

  “We can’t outrun, outfight them, and we won’t surrender. Suggestions?”

  Shiv appeared agitated and entered the conversation. “I have heard of the Allung Brotherhood. They are criminals who coerce whole planets through threats of force. They are as ruthless as primitive VicVic.”

  Andrew seemed somehow reassured by this statement. “I have gathered from our previous first encounters that there is always a pissing contest when species first meet.”

  Lee Post broke his silence. “Pissing contest? I am unfamiliar with that expression and do not understand the context.”

  “It simply means that all the alien species we’ve met have tried to determine dominance at the first opportunity. Criminals will use threats of force and more sophisticated species will use subterfuge or social intimidation to show their dominance. Steve. Ask them if we are to approach through an airlock or bring a shuttle to one of their ship’s large launch bays,” Andrew said.

  “Sir, they order us to use a cargo airlock now. They said they will use shuttles when they require it,” Steve said.

  “Let us go with our original idea. Desiree. I want you to be with me since you are our human linguist. Steve. Tell them to open their cargo lock and we’ll come over. Everyone, coordinate positioning and communications through your MemDexs.”

  Andrew had been briefed a bit more by Shiv and had Steve brief the oncoming ERF ships that were due in four hours. He wasn’t going to wait until they arrived. This would be settled well before then.

  The Allung Brotherhood

  Andrew and Desiree directed their suits’ flight path directly into the open cargo hatch door. It was about four meters wide. They entered about 15 meters into the large cargo deck and waited to be met by the Brotherhood. They didn’t have long to wait. The outside cargo door hissed shut and the cargo bay re-pressurized. The bay had yellowish lighting that seemed a little dim for human eyes. There was writing on small signs around the bay and it looked neat and clean.

  A large interior door swung open and in stepped six individuals. Five of them carried weapons. The weapons looked like molecular disruptors and the individuals looked froglike but stood about up to the human chins but they were twice the girth of the humans. Their bodies glided along while their feet had an oddly long gait. They had arms but those seemed like atrophied legs, adapted with rudimentary hands. They appeared to be well adapted for water with residual webbing in their hands and powerful legs. They were colored an ugly brown color and they each had two enormous jet black eyes. They had large mouths with ridges of tiny sharp teeth. Four of the creatures looked similar in dress and manner – obviously, soldiers and the fifth of the froglike individuals had finer accouterments with a shiny belt and scarlet sash of shimmering cloth. The sixth being looked vaguely humanoid with pallid brown skin and a bald head. He had an explosive servitude collar that the humans had encountered once before when first visiting the learning cylinder facility on an airless planet in the Sirius system. He wore what could only be described as a short skirt but was not mammalian.

  The individual with the sash came forward and spoke rapidly to the collared humanoid. That humanoid said, “Earthers. Take off your helmets. Which of you is the captain? Follow these soldiers.”

  Andrew smiled briefly, took off his helmet, wa
tched Desiree do the same, and headed out with the phalanx of troops forming a square around the duo of humans with sash guy in the lead, with the collared humanoid bringing up the rear.

  The corridors were extremely wide and gravity was near Earth normal. A short walk led to a conference room – more like a large throne room with an elegantly clad frog like individual sitting in a short hammock seat. He – suppose it was a he – sat in resplendent sashes and belts with two honor guards on either side.

  Andrew and Desiree stood quietly with their helmet under their arms and just waited for frog chief to speak.

  The silence went on for a long time. Finally, the boss decided he/it would speak. “We are of the Allung Brotherhood. We enforce… peace. Subjects pay us to keep their planets peaceful. We keep them safe. You will serve as emissaries to your people for us. Here are two collars of – honor – you will wear to show you have our favor. He handed two jeweled collars to the sash guy.

  Andrew spoke. “You have a misunderstanding of how Earth trade works. Those who trade with us must follow our regulations,” Andrew said in Trade. “We provide our own security. We appreciate the gift of your ship to Earth but we don’t have enough crew to control it right now,” he said. “Shiv, it is all yours. Make sure they know the difference.”

  The resplendent chief seemed flustered. He motioned sash guy to put the collars on the recalcitrant humans. He suddenly dissolved, as did all the soldiers leaving only the chief and the humanoid slave. “Where is the controller for this ones collar?”

  Chief was pretty quick on the uptake, reached below his sash and extracted two small control units – one he handed to Andrew while he pressed the other. It wasn’t ten seconds before five soldiers came through the door and fired molecular disruptors at Andrew and Desiree. The Allung soldiers started dissolving one by one. When the last one had been disintegrated – Andrew turned back to the chief.