by Ken Pence
“Mistress, they have fine jewels,” he hesitated. “Much finer than any jewels we have on this planet. They describe themselves as traders and warriors – not entertainers. All wear silver clothing that floats above their skin. The ones they call progeny are immensely strong and lifted a full-grown Gramar, with one hand as if lifting a mug. They also gave several of these out. We had to threaten and bribe to get one. These must be used to be believed,” he said.
“Yes. Yes. I am sure you were impressed. What did they show? They look like standard training cylinders. Nothing unusual about that,” the rotund matriarch said.
“Yes, Mistress but…umm…these cylinders are unusual too. They contain five times more information than our best cylinders and the information is incredible,” said the messenger.
“Do I have to view the cursed thing myself or are you going to tell me what is on it?” she said.
“Mistress, these show an immense amount of information about the Allung,” he said.
“I know about the Allung but why would I care about that…we are too small and far away for them to bother us here.”
“Not so, Mistress,” he said and saw her building up for a royal tantrum so he continued. “There are maps from the Allung themselves. There are Allung prisoners describing their history and organization. They were a lot bigger and more of a threat than we ever thought.”
“This could all be false. These aliens have higher tech in some things than we do,” she countered.
“Mistress, there are videos of hundreds of dead Allung and autopsies showing where they hide weapons in their bodies and how they surgically add poison sacs in their mouths. The details from their ships are incredible. The Allung weapons are shown and described. There are videos of great battles. There was a small base within ten light years of us and there are details of past and future raids.”
“You said they were a threat. Explain,” she demanded.
“They destroyed over 2,000 of their ships recently. Name and class of all the ships are listed. The Allung had planetoid class ships. Some of their ships can jump instantaneously through space – I think the aliens here have that same ability.”
The matriarch was silent for a few minutes and stared out her mansion’s windows. “Persuade them to perform for me. I wish to meet them. Here are the expenses so you can use whatever means it takes to get them here. Do not fail me again. I am already facing opposition from competitors and I have not had to face down competitors in many years.”
***
LeiLei was pacing with tail twitching. “I want to visit my family. I want them to meet Joel. I want John to meet my little sister. I want to go now,” she said.
Joel tried to talk her out of it and John tried to talk him into it. Andrew finally gave them permission to spend a day looking for trade partners. He wanted to break the hold the upper classes had over the remainder of the population. There were the very rich and the very poor with a few in the middle class as intermediaries.
They started out a few hours later by flying down to an area LeiLei still remembered. She wore her suit but had a few perfect diamonds to show her status. A large contingent was going with her whether they were invisible or visible and they all were visibly armed.
They turned visible in an area out of sight behind a warehouse and started walking in a direction indicated by LeiLei. There were many little shops and stores even though the area was a slum. The Lemsa here walked with pride and it was as clean as a place with little sanitation could be. The smells were incredible but there was not as much garbage as they expected and the people looked fairly healthy. LeiLei explained as they walked along that they provided their own services and families ran their areas. One area would cooperate with other areas. The upper classes used many of the population as their servants at very low wages and taxed them all they could. Gangs ran some areas and education was catch as catch can – very spotty.
Tod and Desiree talked as they walked and they had reached a consensus with the crew before they walked far. This would be a good place for a huge trade center run by the locals, policed by the locals, and where everyone else on the planet could come if they wanted anything. It was going to be messy as hell and the upper classes weren’t going to sit still very long.
LeiLei squealed and started running. “I recognize this place. I lived right around here. Down this way,” she said as she trotted along. Lemsa were coming out when they heard the commotion but retreated a bit seeing the large contingent of silver suited aliens. A large Lemsa with ten others stepped out blocking their way. They all had long knife sheaths with hands on hilts.
“Temsla, is that you? It is you. It’s me LeiLei. I would know you anywhere,” she said and rushed up and started rubbing the side of her muzzle against him. She acted without fear and having a beautiful female rubbing him threw off his threats.
He grabbed her by her shoulders and held her off while looking into her face. “It is you. I heard there was a performer named LeiLei …but I thought you were killed when slavers took you ten years ago. You’ve certainly grown. Why are you wearing clothes like a Mrrsha but perfect jewelry of high status? What is all this about?” Temsla asked.
“Take me to my mother’s house. Is my family all right?” she asked. “Is Leiita still there?”
“Your mother was killed about four years ago in a riot against the controllers. I’m sorry LeiLei. Who are these beings with you?” he asked.
“They are my friends,” she said and reached out and grabbed Joel’s arm. “This is my husband, Joel. These people rescued me from the slavers. We have so much to talk about.”
“You mated with an alien? No fur,” Temsla said and looked over Joel with an incredulous look.
“There weren’t other Lemsa like you,” she said and grabbed his arm again at which Joel began to pout a bit.
It wasn’t long before the group arrived at the, ten-meter square, house with one glow strip and small, neat shelves with cloth dividers. An aged-looking Lemsa got up and approached the female standing in his doorway. “LeiLei. LeiLei, is it really you? I thought you were dead. I thought we had lost you forever.” Tears were streaming down his face and LeiLei’s. They held and nuzzled each other.
“I’ve come back to visit father. Tell me everything. I have people outside I want you to meet. One of them is my mate, papa,” LeiLei said proudly. “Leiita?”
There was an awkward silence for just a few seconds but LeiLei’s father adjusted quickly and invited everyone in…the few that would fit anyway. They sat and he offered them some type of drink and they all accepted. The little cups were assorted sizes and patterns. They sipped together and Tod, Steve, John, and Joel choked on the fiery brew but Desiree and LeiLei took no notice.
The father, Leaman, gave LeiLei the run down of how her mother died with tears running down his face. They cried together. He explained how she happened to be kidnapped and the searching he did after the kidnapping. He related how one sister died and Leiita had run away on a Tros trade ship. They held each other. LeiLei recovered quickly and explained what had happened to her on Sirius B at the training duplication center. She described her rescue and some that had happened to her since. She reintroduced Joel and described his skills and how they were married.
The father sighed and welcomed him to his home. He was amazingly accepting – Joel thought her father was much more open-minded than his own had been. Leaman radiated thoughtful concern. When Joel commented on it – Leaman said it was not wisdom – just fatigue and chuckled. Tod brought up his ideas on building a trade center here and he and Leaman were soon deep in details. Leaman said he would discuss it with the other family groups but he thought they’d go for it. He especially liked the idea of a swank hotel and trading center providing jobs.
Leaman said the people in this area of the city already did all the cleaning, cooking and security for the upper classes across town. The wages were barely subsistence when you took transportation costs into account. He said we would have pushback from the
wealthy and by chance we heard some shouting outside.
Twenty large Lemsa, all armed were assembled in the street. Facing them were Temsla’s ten people. The twenty were heavily armed with short swords that might have been machetes but curved and three had molecular disruptors. LeiLei stepped out and whispered to Temsla that she would like to handle this as a demonstration.
The spokesperson for the Lemsa gave the invitation for LeiLei and team to perform for her high and mightiness – which LeiLei declined. She nodded to the visible progeny and the molecular disruptors on the thugs dissolved right on their belts. The twenty attacked expecting to overwhelm scared, defenseless victims but found something else. The males stepped back to let Desiree and LeiLei handle the attack aided by the progeny.
The ERF personnel dodged mighty strikes – some of the attackers were trying to use the sides of their weapons. Desiree and LeiLei had suits on offensive mode and with the enhanced strength and reflexes simply broke legs and arms of the attackers. They just waded forward – effortlessly shattering legs and arms. They would even catch the blades between their hands and rip the weapons from the attacker’s grasp. Three of the last attackers, the ones who had lost disruptors, switched to potentially deadly strikes. Desiree broke both arms and then grabbed her attacker by the back of his head and jaw and rapidly snapped his neck with an audible crack. LeiLei dispatched her deadly attackers using the same method.
The males never lifted a hand and it was obvious Temsla and her father were impressed. They were concerned about the bodies so LeiLei borrowed a disruptor from a progeny. She walked over and dissolved the bodies where they lay. She then handed the weapon back and then hugged her father. She invited him to see their show the next day and handed him a small satin sack. He looked questioningly at it. She said, “Help as many people as you can with this and save some for yourself. I have enough to buy this planet.” She then grabbed him in an Earth-style embrace and nuzzled him to imprint his smell.
LeiLei then went over to Temsla. She handed him a small sack too. She embraced him and whispered in his ear. “Look after him Temsla. I am so glad to see you but we cannot stay. Use the valuables to get weapons to protect the people here – there will be more trouble. The upper classes will not give up power easily. Let me know if you need more – I will always give you support when I can.”
“How can you fight like that? I thought I needed to protect you,” Temsla said.
“The Earth Regulatory Force trained me. We will need recruits to guard our facilities here. I would be honored if you join them when we get that far along. Pick others you trust and we will talk later. These males are as good as me – those over there,” she indicated the progeny, “…are better warriors than any of us.” She turned and started walking off.
***
The aging messenger was again before his matriarch and he did not relish giving her the news.
The rotund feline turned around rapidly belying her age – she was still quick. “Well?”
“I sent twenty of our most trusted people and they were met with ten locals and almost an equal number of aliens. Three of our people were armed with molecular disruptors,” he said. “They delivered your invitation.”
“Did they accept? I assume from your demeanor that all did not go well.”
“Mistress, two unarmed females critically injured all twenty…the Lemsa and the Earth female. All our people were armed with swords. The two killed the three who had had disruptors – then they dissolved their bodies.”
“Wait. You said they were unarmed. So they killed our people with disruptors?”
“No, Mistress. They broke all the arms and many legs of our people and then snapped the necks of the three. They then borrowed a disruptor and dissolved those three bodies.”
“Truth?”
“Yes, Mistress. Truth. Informants in the area confirm the story. The one they call LeiLei visited her reported father in the area. She reportedly had been taken as a slave as a child ten years ago. The Earth people somehow rescued her and now she is extremely wealthy. There are other reports about the Earthers. They are said to have immense wealth and make technological marvels. Every race that treats with them has become wealthy,” he reported.
“Except the Allung,” she said.
“It is said that they think slavery is an abomination.”
“I should have never let those slavers take those children,” she said quietly as if talking to herself.
“Excuse me, Mistress. I did not hear that…” the messenger said.
“Never mind. It is time I saw these beings personally. Make arrangements for me to view them at their show tomorrow. I will arrive anonymously but I want a good seat. Arrange transportation, as I want to leave no trail. One transfer ought to be enough,” she said.
Negotiations
The troupe had another two days of practice in accelerated time and got a good ten hours of rest. They had returned to the tavern without anyone being able to see their return. Rett had paid in advance for four days so the tavern keeper wasn’t going to disturb them. His business had doubled on locals learning that the aliens were staying there. The ERF troupe arrived at their venue early. The crowd was already building. They had eaten and drunk some already because food and drink went with all entertainment on this planet. It took a lot of calories to power those large feline bodies.
The universal stomping feet and pounding the table let everyone know the audience was ready for the show.
Tod went out on the stage as the room darkened. A true spotlight hit him and he used an acoustic system from their own ship to speak to the audience. “Welcome to the Lemsa from Earth. We poor travelers are traders and warriors – not entertainers,” he said and the room was sprinkled with ‘No.’ “We want you to know us. Your world is here,” he said and the room darkened and the stars appeared in three-dimensional detail above the stage.
The holographic projection looked better than the last performance because they used the projection equipment from the ship. The view zoomed in on their world to an image of Tod standing on stage and the spotlight came on for a second before it pulled out and the audience heard Tod say, “We represent the Earth Regulatory Force. We are from here and the display shifted from their world circled in red to the stars between Epsilon Lupi 6 and Sol. The projection zoomed past the planets in the Sol system and zoomed in on Earth and showed the nature preserves with animals on Earth to whales breeching in the oceans to the stunning cities and back to orbit. “This is where we had a recent battle with the Allung,” he said and the display zoomed in on an Allung and how they hide weapons and escape devices. The image zoomed to actual recording of their fleet with commentary booming out over the audience in Lemsa (provided by LeiLei). LeiLei described the battle and showed actual video of the progeny floating through space, forcing their way into the Allung ships. The view then changed to video, in larger-than-life 3D of the Toi and Progeny fighting and dying in the Allung ships.
The battles were fierce and graphic and showed the no-quarter life-and-death battles aboard the Allung ships. It showed finding piles of dead bodies of the executed slaves. The video showed the award ceremonies showing the tens of thousands in the ERF. It then zoomed in to a lone individual on the large plain – Tod – superimposed and fading to the stage with a spotlight shining on him.
The stage was suddenly lit with three progeny standing with heads bowed. “I give you the ERF Progeny – warriors from Earth.” The three individuals stood rigidly and drew short katana – the razor edged swords slightly longer than shoto. They were fashioned with a diamond edge for boarding operations. They held these swords high and then four more Progeny appeared behind them and drew swords. The trio of five faced each other – then attacked and screamed in unison in a roar that approached the sound level from the Lemsa. They attacked each other in a deadly hail of strokes and screams and somersaults that had the audience gasping and screaming encouragements and warnings. It was fantastic. Suddenly – the show st
opped and the fifteen were spaced in a continuous semi-circle across the stage. They then pointed out patrons in the audience and encouraged members of the audience to throw anything at then. One threw a fruit that the progeny sliced in half and derided the thrower – Was that the best they could do.
The audience started throwing mugs – easily sliced in half to stools – sliced in half easily with laughing and good natured accolades to the thrower – ‘til a table was thrown -- it dissolved in mid-air as one progeny stood on the side and carefully holstered a previous unseen molecular disruptor. The fifteen lined up and shouted in perfect unison in Lemsa. “The Warriors of Earth salute – you Lemsa Warriors.” The fifteen bowed. The roaring went on for minutes and the fifteen lined up so they became three and the three lined up to become one. This one bowed and faded from view and re-solidified to become Tod. The roaring thundered for minutes. The audience did not know that they had used their invisibility of their suits to disappear. They only knew that true warriors had saluted them – they understood that…
“During the break – we will show we are traders and we will trade perfect – cut stones – for the ones you wear. We promise you will be pleased or we return what you have. The progeny will come out among you. Feel free to ask them about battles among the Allung – they are all veterans,” Tod said as the Progeny started coming out on the floor and examining the stones the owners ripped off their collars.
The trading was going well and none in the audience were upset since they took a rough ruby, aquamarine, or topaz and got a flawless stone of the same type and size in exchange. One polished diamond was traded for a four carat-European cut diamond. “…this is beautiful,” said the patron as she closely examined the flawless stone.
“We would like to talk with you afterward,” said the progeny that had brokered the swap, “…to lessen the impact our involvement will cause. You will profit. We are sorry we were unable to accept your earlier invitations but we will trade with you on our side or by excluding you. It is up to you.”