by S. H. Jucha
“Good fortune, Captain,” Tamtoma said, clasping Gregich’s hand, before he stepped off the platform.
Security escorted Gregich below, and Tamtoma nodded at Lenson.
Derek’s eyes were still following the Packeo, and Lenson nudged him and then tipped his head toward the secondary panel.
“Apologies, Your Highness,” Derek managed to say, before he energized the gate. As he glanced toward the platform, he saw Tamtoma’s flash of teeth.
Of the entities arriving via the gates, the console operators were most disturbed by the Veklocks. Lenson hadn’t recognized the race.
The triumvirate descended the platform and marched toward the waiting line of security.
The operators were taken aback by the lack of even a most perfunctory greeting. The three birds, as Lenson thought of them, walked past the console with imperial glances down their long beaks at him and his companions. The nearest individual had clacked the beak, as if making a pronouncement about humans.
Three members of dome security spun off and led the way down the ramp for the Veklocks.
“For a moment, I wondered if I needed a shower,” Layla quietly commented, pretending to sniff at her outpost uniform.
“They’re going to be a challenge to conclave cooperation,” Lenson commented.
That was all the time they had for their exchange about the triumvirate. Lenson’s gate had fired, and he welcomed a Hyronzy.
* * * * *
“Poor Alex,” Lucia commented to Jess. “He would have to draw the Veklocks.”
The pair had been watching the arrivals of conclave delegates within the Triton dome. They’d maintained a link with Lenson, who was connected to them via the comm relays in the upper level corridor, the tunnels, and the traveler bays.
“It could have been worse,” Jess remarked. “He might have drawn the Usaanans.”
“I wouldn’t think they’d have the temerity to apply for a position,” Lucia mused.
“Personally, I wouldn’t put anything past the Usaanans,” Jess replied. “My bet is that the Usaanans applied, and they failed to get the votes of the world leaders or the Tsargit membership.”
“Isn’t it strange that neither Alain nor we have had any idea how the conclave delegates were chosen?” Lucia asked.
Jess rose to brew thé. “I was thinking about that,” he said. “We might be seeing one result of the Tsargit’s reformation.”
“Explain that,” Lucia requested.
“The Resistance and the outpost gave birth to the consortium, which pressured the reform of the Tsargit membership,” Jess said, as he watched the thé brew. “Then Alain introduces the conclave, which is widely reported.”
“You think the world leaders are energized by the possibilities,” Lucia offered.
“My thought is that we’re witnessing a transformation of attitudes,” Jess responded. “The elder races and their preferences for the status quo are falling to the wayside, making way for the centrists and the younger races, who are embracing change.”
“What does this mean for the conclave?” Lucia asked.
“Contention, most likely,” Jess replied.
Lower in the outpost station, delegates exited from two different bays but within hailing distance of each other.
Commandant Ophelia Tuttle escorted President Leslie Finian, while Major Fleetfoot and Lieutenant Weller walked on either side of Myseth mya Jaknas.
The two groups met at a central lift, and ear comms beeped, as languages updated.
Myseth eyed the collection of uniforms. “I must learn the meaning of these minor embellishments,” she commented to Sam.
When the Pyrean president and the commandant regarded Sam, he made introductions.
“You’re a tailor?” Ophelia queried.
Candace laid two fingers on Myseth’s shoulder to halt her response. Then she sent some images to Leslie and Ophelia that she’d captured in the mirrors.
“Now those are costumes,” Leslie commented enthusiastically.
“Why were you wearing these outfits?” Ophelia inquired of Sam and Candace.
As the five individuals rode the lift upward, Sam and Candace explained the nature of the Lemgart investigation and how Myseth had enabled them to penetrate the society’s elites.
“Then you have to be politically astute to be able to design costumes that portray messages,” Leslie surmised, intrigued by the concept.
At which point, Myseth launched into the subtleties of originating ensembles to convey intention among Lemgart citizenry.
When the lift doors slid open, Leslie and Myseth exited first, preceding the others.
Sam and Candace grinned at Ophelia’s perplexed expression.
Sam and Candace smothered their tendencies to laugh out loud.
Much higher in the station, Jess detected Kasie’s approach to the suite, and he triggered the door.
Kasie exuberantly swept into the room.
“Control,” Jess said quickly, before Kasie’s emanations could overpower Lucia and him.
“Sorry,” Kasie replied, and curtailed her sending.
“Congratulations on your success with the dome,” Lucia said, hugging Kasie.
When Jess hugged his sister, he whispered, “Harbour would be proud,” which brought tears to Kasie’s eyes. She strove to keep her gates closed.
The thé finished brewing, and Lucia served everyone, while Kasie took a seat in a chair.
“You wanted to see me?” Kasie queried.
“I need you to perform an important task for the conclave,” Jess said, which brought the women’s heads up sharply. “Lucia and I were discussing the nature of the alliance delegates. She’s told me a great deal about the Confederation Leaders. They’re extremely astute businesspeople.”
“And we don’t know who else Alex has invited,” Lucia added.
“Are you expecting trouble?” Kasie asked.
“No, not trouble,” Jess replied. “More like contentious wrangling. I don’t want tempers to destroy what Alex is trying to accomplish.”
“Alex can control them,” Kasie said confidently.
“Only Alex won’t be conducting the conclave,” Lucia explained.
Kasie’s mouth opened and then closed. “He should,” she declared. Then she added, “Why not?”
“Alex represents Omnia Ships, a company, not a world,” Lucia replied.
“Then who will be responsible for the conclave?” Kasie inquired.
“Nikki Fowler, the Sol Enclave president,” Lucia replied.
Kasie started to ask another question, but Jess raised a couple of fingers from his mug. It was an old signal between twins.
“I need you to keep heads cool, Kasie,” Jess implored.
“There’s no way that I can ...” was as far as Kasie got before a grin split her face. “We’ll need a lot more empaths,” she said triumphantly.
“A lot more,” Jess agreed. “You’ve three days to collect some of the best. Their machinations have to be subtle.”
Kasie jumped up, excited by the prospect of leading a group of empaths to the conclave. In so doing, her gate slipped fractionally.
“Subtle,” Jess reminded Kasie, as he felt the slightest touch from her mind.
“Right, subtle,” Kasie replied, shutting her gates tightly. Then she rushed from the salon.
“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Lucia asked. “It could backfire on us.”
“I know my sister. I believe we can trust her with this,” Jess said confidently. “In any case, I’m thinking of sending Sam with her.”
Lucia chuckled at Jess’s layers of intrigue. “You’d have made a good ship commander, my wily one.”
31: Too Long
Aboard
The city-ship’s SADE waited until he detected an elevation in Alex’s heart rate. Then he sent,
When the Freedom exited its transit below Earth, the city-ship had sailed to join the Our People, which was in orbit around the planet.
Alex hurried into clothes. Then he kissed Renée’s forehead lightly and slipped out of the suite.
With the early morning hours, the corridors and lifts were nearly deserted, and Alex took advantage of the emptiness to jog when he could. On the way, he listened to Hector’s message.
Alex chuckled. He’d come to enjoy the SADE’s emerging sense of humor.
The traveler was readied, and the pilot launched the ship the moment Alex boarded, the hatch sealed, and the bay doors opened.
Alex reviewed Hector’s message again. The voyage from Omnia to Sol had been overly long for the Swei Swee. Wave Skimmer and his kin lived for their daily interactions with the oceans. Subjected to months in confining pools, they’d become withdrawn. Now food wasn’t being eaten, and Hector worried for their health.
Alex considered the question, which was a good one.
The subtlety of Cremsylon’s message intrigued Alex, which was one of the characteristics of the SADE that he appreciated. Cremsylon hadn’t so much as made a suggestion as he presented the circumstances of unveiling the Swei Swee. He’d posed the singular event against the backdrop of introducing Earthers to a wide range of races who inhabited the broader galaxy.