A New Threat

by Aaron DeMott

  She then stepped from her bench, and as the representatives from the other clans began to leave, she walked over to where the humans were seated.

  “If I may ask, what are your plans for the night? We would be more than happy to provide you lodging here in the khaal, or, if you wish, provide an escort back to your ship.”

  Tomed stood and bowed to the queen. “Thank you for your offer, however, we should return to our ship. The captain will want to hear our report, and we, ah, need to prepare quarters for our guests, as well as check on the status of repairs to the ship so we can give Bast and Rrrark an estimate for how much time they’ll have to prepare to leave.”

  “Very well.” Meer inclined her head. “I will have Bast take you back to your ship, and have her and Rrrark greet you at first light tomorrow to be advised on anything you think they may need to know to prepare for the journey.”

  Tomed bowed again, and the humans followed Bast out the door.

  Tomed walked into Engineering. Captain Trenton and the chief engineer, Lieutenant Commander Pattersen, stood in front of the master systems display. A schematic of the hyperdrive engine with various different components highlighted in red and blue filled the screen. Tomed stopped a meter behind them and waited for the Commander to finish his report.

  “—should be finished today, We’re having to fabricate new exterior mounting braces for the field generation coils, as well as a few secondary bus bars. We’ve started working on those already, and they should be done in about two days. By then we should be finished swapping out the melted coil segments.”

  Captain Trenton nodded in the direction of the display panel. “You’re making faster progress than I would have thought after looking at the initial damage report. Keep me posted.”

  “Will do, sir.” Pattersen nodded to the captain.

  A petty officer stepped forward and reported that a fiber patch panel needed the Commander’s inspection. Pattersen excused himself and headed farther into engineering.

  The captain turned to face Tomed. “Ah, Psygen, back from the tour already?”

  “Yes, and have I got a heck of a report for you!” He couldn’t help but grin.

  “All good, I take it?” Captain Trenton started to walk out of engineering and motioned for Tomed to follow.

  “Oh yes, we had a wonderful time, hit all the local tourist spots, met the natives...”

  The captain stopped. “Natives, really?”

  “Yes.” Tomed nodded. “They resemble large cats, roughly the size of tigers, and yes, they’re intelligent and friendly.”

  “Fascinating. Neither of the other two alien races we’ve found have had any sort of resemblance to anything on Earth.”

  As they continued to walk down the corridor, Tomed informed the captain of the events of the day and of his offer to bring a Meskka representative to earth.

  Bast yawned as she and Rrrark walked out of the forest early the next morning. Queen Meer and Master SarrOw followed a short distance behind. Ahead lay the human ship.

  Queen Meer stopped and stared at it for a moment. “It looks larger than the reports say, doesn’t it?”

  When they reached the ramp, Tomed and two other humans walked out to greet them.

  “Queen Meer, Bast, Master SarrOw.” Tomed nodded to each of them in turn.

  They each bowed as Tomed introduced them. He glanced briefly at the jet-black Meskka who stood next to them.

  “This is Rrrark, I assume?”

  Rrrark bowed in reply.

  Tomed turned to the other humans. “Captain Trenton, and his First Officer, Commander Dennings.”

  Captain Trenton took a step forward. “It is an honor, and a pleasure to meet you. Would you like a tour of our ship?”

  Queen Meer’s tail raised slightly and she smiled. “We would be delighted.”

  “If you would follow me...” He bowed and led the way up the ramp and through the door.

  The door swung in and to the left and was connected to the ship by two large curved metal bars, one below the ramp, and one at the top of the doorway. The opening was about one length wide and one and a half lengths tall. Oddly, the interior metal wasn’t the same periwinkle color as the outside of the ship, but was a shiny, light gray color.

  “This is the main entrance to the ship.” Captain Trenton stopped just inside the outer door. “When we dock at a space station, the ramp is not extended and the ship presses up against the docking arm.”

  The room was about the same size as the entry hall to the Mer-ahsh palace. Shelves lined the wall to her left, and cabinets, about the size of one of the human aliens, lined the other. A metal door was at the far end of the room. It had a small window set into it and it looked heavy enough to repel a large assault.

  She followed the other Meskka and the captain into the room. The captain pressed something on the wall and the door slid sideways into the wall. They went farther into the ship and took a left down a long corridor. The room was well lit, but she thought it rather plain and drab compared to the forests she was used to. Not to mention the bland, almost chemical smell.

  They proceeded several meters down the corridor and turned right down another long hallway. Here, they paused at another door, and after a short wait, stepped into a very small room with lighted panel inside next to the door. Bast stared at the panel and wondered what it was. She reached her nose out and sniffed it.

  “This is a lift—” Captain Trenton said.

  Bast jumped and tucked her tail around her. Was she not supposed to touch the panel? No one else seemed to notice her action, and the captain continued on without a second glance at her.

  “—that will take us up several levels up into the ship.” He pressed a few of the lights on the panel and a soft hum filled the room.

  The room lurched a little, and Bast felt vibrations in the floor through the pads of her feet. Just as she was about to ask if this was normal, the motion stopped and the door opened. She again followed the others off the lift down yet another hallway. The interior of the ship was a giant maze, even worse than the deep forest.

  The captain stopped in front of a door. There were several other nearly identical doors spaced up and down the hallway as far as Bast could see. How could the crew tell the difference between the rooms? She stepped closer to one of the doors and noticed some small markings on the center of the door. Upon further inspection, the other doors were similarly marked.

  “This is one of the guest quarters aboard the Goddard.” The captain pressed a button on the panel mounted flush into the wall next to the door, and it slid open. “We are often called to carry diplomats on various missions. They are also used to house extra personnel when we execute rescue missions.”

  The floor was covered with a soft green woven material. Paintings that Bast presumed were scenes of Earth hung on the walls. The guest quarters were divided into three rooms. The large room didn’t seem to have an apparent purpose. It had a few chairs, a couch, and a table much too small to eat from. Perhaps it was used for relaxation, or to entertain company. Bast thought it strange that on a spacecraft with limited room the ship’s designers would waste so much space, but then, the captain had said that the rooms were used by diplomats. The second room had a tall cabinet built into the wall with drawers for storage. There was also a short, wide platform centered left to right with one end that touched the far wall.

  Bast padded over to it while the captain talked to Queen Meer and poked it with a paw. She was surprised to find it was soft.

  It’s a bed. Humans sleep on it. Tomed explained via thought-speak.

  Ah. We usually sleep in a tree or on a floor mat, which I didn’t really expect to find in here.

  “The last room in the guest quarters—” The captain waved a hand at a closed door at the other side of the room. “—is used for sanitation purposes.”

  Is that like a sandbox? Bast asked Tomed privately.

  I believe so. Tomed’s mental sounded unsure, but Bast didn’t want t
o risk violating a potential cultural taboo to inquire further.

  Bast poked her head in the door. There was a rounded chair that was almost to the height of her chest. It had a hole in the center, and was a little too small for a Meskka to comfortably sit on.

  If you don’t mind, what are the sanitation facilities like on Alkask? Tomed asked.

  Well, there are two types, indoor and outdoor. Bast paused to gather her thoughts, unsure of how much detail would be appropriate. The outdoor ones are simply a dedicated area of the gardens that we grow to feed our stock animals. One year, one end is used for ‘sanitation purposes’, and the other for growing feed. The next year, the ends are switched. The indoor type is the most common. It’s a small room, much like you use, only ours has a small trench filled with artificial sand. After it’s ‘used’, a domed lid slides over the trench, and a mechanism removes the used sand and replaces it with fresh.

  Interesting, Tomed said.

  Bast looked up at him. One corner of his mouth was slightly upturned. Was he smiling?

  The next stop on the tour was engineering, then the medical facilities, and several other parts of the ship that Bast couldn’t remember the names of, and finally the bridge.

  After the tour, Bast tried to imagine what it was like to travel to other stars as she followed the other Meskka back through the forest. Her day-dreaming was interrupted when Queen Meer called to her. Bast quickly trotted up past Rrrark and Master SarrOw to fall in step beside her mother.

  “So, what do you think about the humans, Bast?” Queen Meer cocked an ear toward her.

  “They seem friendly. And I’m interested in their technology. In some ways, they seem more advanced than us.” Bast paused mid-stride. “They don’t have much of a sense of style though.”

  Her mother laughed softly and continued down the path in silence for a few more paces. “Do you still want to visit their planet with them?”

  Bast thought the question over for a moment. “Yes. I’m very curious about their planet, and I’d like to learn more about them.”

  “Very well. I would like you to be careful and stay close to Rrrark. You seem to have established a rapport with these humans. However, when you are away, you’ll be doing more than just exploring. You will have to represent all Meskka to the humans. Also, don’t trust your instincts.”

  Bast lowered an ear and cocked her head to the side.

  “It sounds cruel, but this visit could have repercussions for both our planet and theirs for years to come. Things aren’t always as they seem. These humans may be exploring, just as they say, but they could also be trying to conquer through deception. You need to be extra careful, and question everything, even if it feels right.”

  “I understand. That’s one reason Rrrark is coming, isn’t it? He has a lot of experience with diplomacy.”

  “Mostly. This won’t be like any other diplomatic mission, however.” Her mother took a step closer and licked Bast’s head. “Be safe, daughter. I’ll miss you.”

  Two days later, Bast and Rrark met Tomed at the edge of the forest. He escorted them aboard the Goddard and up to a room at the top of the ship lined with windows. Bast adjusted her pack and trotted over to peer out one of the windows. She looked over the meadow as she proceeded from one window to the next.

  “This is the observation deck.” Tomed crossed his ankles and leaned up against the wall. “It’s the best view on the ship. It also has a practical use for getting a good look at something that sensors either can’t pick up or don’t get a good reading on.”

  “We will be departing shortly, then?” Rrrark asked.

  “Yes. I’d take you to the bridge to watch from there, but the crew’s busy during liftoff. Besides, the view’s better from up here.”

  A few moments later the announcement of their take-off came over the intercom. Bast’s ear twitched while she waited. After a moment, a slight vibration started in the floor and a high-pitched whine joined it. The meadow slowly dropped out of sight.

  Chapter 3

  North American Alliance, Earth

  Jonathan Vincent II sat at his office desk on the thirtieth floor of the Anaheim Q-tronics headquarters. His brow furrowed in thought as he skimmed through the news and interoffice reports displayed in different holo-projections around him. Profits were up and the new Heim-class starship they had built for UGAL was so popular that an order for four more had been placed, due mostly to the successful performance of the Goddard and the Heim.

  His smile turned into a frown as another article caught his eye. He pulled the translucent holo-projection towards him. A quick skim of the article revealed that UGAL was looking into the possibility of giving the SeQish a Heim-class starship. John’s frown deepened. Financially and politically this made sense. Because they were amphibious, the SeQish needed to spend most of their time underwater, so a mixed crew wasn’t practical. The technical difficulties weren’t what upset him. How could the Earth Government Advisory Directorate continue to treat these…animals…like people?

  Despite humanity’s recovery from the collapse of government systems during the so-called “Second Dark Age,” there were still thousands and thousands of poor and destitute people all over the globe. The misuse of planetary resources before and during the Second Dark Age had contributed to the problem. In some areas there just wasn’t enough food, and no land to grow it on, or tools to grow it with. He had hoped that UGAL would decide to put the technology to better use.

  A chime interrupted his thoughts as a new message popped up in front of him.

  He had almost forgotten. Fred’s game was starting soon. He pressed his palm onto the desk, and all the holo-displays sank into the desk surface.

  As he walked out of his office, his administrative assistant looked up. “Leaving early today, sir?”

  “Fred’s baseball game is this afternoon, first one of the season!” he said with a grin.

  “Is he any good?”

  “Nah, he stinks, but he’s only nine. Give him a few years and he’ll be hitting home runs like his brother.”

  “Wish him luck for me.”

  “Will do!”

  He turned, walked out, and smiled as he whistled a happy, out-of-tune ditty. He’d have to do something about the political misuse of his technology, but that was a problem for another time.

  Aboard the Goddard, approaching Alpha Centauri Station

  Bast watched the view screen as the swirling colors of hyperspace faded out and were replaced by a normal starfield. A small gray dot grew to fill the viewer.

  The captain stood and turned to face Bast and Rrrark. “Welcome to Alpha Centauri Station.”

  The station consisted of a central hub that sent dozens of branches out in every direction. Most of these had smaller sections that stuck out of them, many with ships docked at the end. A gigantic pod with open doors hung from the bottom of the station. Bast flicked an ear. Was it a dry-dock area that might be used to build or repair spacecraft?

  “We’ll be stopping here to re-fuel and complete repairs. Psygen Tomed will escort you the rest of the way to Earth aboard one of the transport ships. I hope I have the pleasure of seeing you again sometime.”

  “Thank you for a safe and pleasant journey, Captain. We look forward to meeting you again as well.” Rrrark bowed.

  Bast hastily copied the gesture.

  Bast, along with Rrrark, followed Tomed to the airlock. They exited the narrow docking arm and out into a larger corridor. The station walls were a clean, smooth white, with paintings of spaceships and humans engaged in various activities. Access hatches were interspersed with the paintings at regular intervals.

  Humans of all shapes, sizes, and colors filled the corridor. Almost every human wore a different type or color of clothing. Bast giggled. With all those clothes, they had more color and pattern variations than Meskka.

  Rrrark turned to stare at her and flicked an ear.

  “What?” she asked.

  He looked away, and Bast fo
llowed his gaze. Several of the humans were staring at her.

  “Sorry,” she whispered.

  Tomed stepped up to her and spoke in a low voice. “It’s all right. They’re just curious.”

  He waved to some of them, and led them out of the corridor into a less crowded, large round room. It had the same white walls as the rest of the station, but the far side was filled with windows that looked out into space. Human-style couches were clustered around the windows.

  “Ooo!” Bast said. She rushed over and pressed her nose against the glass.

  “The next transport to Earth doesn’t leave for a few hours,” Tomed said from behind her. “So I can have someone show you around if you would like. I’d take you myself, but I do have one minor piece of business I have to attend to first.”

  “What should we do while we’re waiting for you?” Bast looked over her shoulder at Tomed.

  “You can stay here. It shouldn’t take long. I’ve got to report in and check some information on the pirate ship that attacked the Goddard.”

  Bast’s ears flattened. That sounded interesting, and they were supposed to be here to determine the pirate threat, right?

  Tomed left the room. He paused at the other side of the doorway and turned his head to check on the Meskka. Bast still stared out the window, but her tail flicked back and forth. Rrrark sat behind her with his tail curled around him.

  This sudden diplomatic mission to Earth was on shaky footing already. Tomed needed to find his informant quickly and get rid of him. The man was brilliant at what he did, but he wasn’t exactly a pillar of human virtue. If the Meskka saw him, they might think all humans were pirates. After making his way through a maze of corridors, Tomed stopped at a set of heavy double-doors. A brightly-colored sign blinked on and off above them.

  Tomed stepped in and let the airlock cycle. The air inside was filled with the foul, bitter smell of tobacco. Tomed wrinkled his nose. Sure, it was a fire hazzard, but the smell alone was a good reason to isolate the bar from the rest of the station. Dim lights barely penetrated the white haze that clung to the ceiling. He sneezed and looked around the room. His informant wasn’t at any of the stools that lined the oval-shaped bar in the center of the room. Nor was he at one of the many tables haphazardly spaced around either side of the bar. Tomed frowned and stepped toward one of the alcoves set into the walls.