Mister Johnson?”
“Yes, Admiral?”
“I know the bikini was your idea and you let Landry and Davies take the fall.”
“I have no idea what you are talking about… Admiral.”
“Yeah, I thought so. Mister Johnson, you bring them home. Is that understood?”
“Yes, Admiral. One more thing.”
“Yes, Mister Johnson?”
“About the Jenny, it would be viewed well, by everyone, if Captain Turner’s temporary command designation was removed. He knows how to fly the ship and he has experience with the Ch’en, the Kripkeni, and the Plentari. He is an asset worth fostering.”
The United States Air Force general, who rarely spoke at Council meetings chimed.
“I concur, and you have my formal recommendation, Admiral.”
“Thank you for you input Mister Johnson, Captain Raitt, the Council will take it under advisement.”
“Thank you. That is all we can ask. Jaguar out.”
Aboard the Jenny
“Landry, why would they give me bad advice and why did you help them?”
Miranda retained the FTL link to the Jaguar and was querying Landry regarding the bikini Faux Pax.
“Miranda, countless humans have a desire to be humorous and jovial. Nick is especially fond of jokes and humor. Humans do something they call playing a practical joke. That’s what they did, they played a practical joke on the Celestial Council. I went along because, as part of the crew, we are expected to take on the crew’s personality attributes. Supporting their goal was a learning opportunity for me, and for you.
I suggest you access the Earth grid, they call it the World Wide Web. It contains the collective knowledge of humanity and its history.”
“I see, the humans desired to find humor in the embarrassment the Council experienced and you aided that goal.”
“That is true, but you have missed one important point.”
“What is that, Landry?”
“They wanted to embarrass you, too.”
Aboard the Jaguar
“Lucinda, Corb, I hear you two and Himari put in recommendations for me to be named captain.”
Two weeks after the infamous bikini conference meeting, Captain Turner was at Q’eqchi and using the FTL communication link to chat with his friends on the Jaguar.
“Thank you. They made me captain of the Jenny. I am to be designated the Blue Captain and will have rank over the Gold Captain. Corb did you threaten to lock out the controls of the Jenny if they did not make me captain?”
“That is an unfounded rumor started by Jan.”
Corb’s smiling response gave away the truth. Jan, who was sitting next to Joshua, just raised a non-committal eyebrow.
“Lucinda, what should I do first?”
“Do not accept anyone at face value. Every crewman gets checked out by you. Anyone assigned will be technically competent. Interview them for fit. The Jenny is not that big and if the Council insists on hot bunks, that is a crew of twelve to sixteen. Everyone had better get along. Blue and Gold crews both. You pick both crews. Also, make sure Gold crew’s captain is in the loop on the selection process.”
“Good advice, thanks, Lucinda. Corb what about negotiating with the others, how will I know what a good deal is or is not?”
“Are you getting cold feet? Maybe making you part of the Coterie was premature? Fly the damn ship and cut the best deals you can. Use Miranda, she has all the history of the deals we made and the same knowledge as Landry. If you get into trouble, have Miranda use the FTL link to the Jaguar and we’ll help.”
“I get it, this is a big step and I need to pull up my big boy panties."
When the laughing stopped, Captain Turner turned serious.
“Corb, you are flying the Jaguar off to a new destination. Searching for the answer to a mystery. You do not know if the invitation is from friend or foe. All that way, with no guarantees of finding any truth or truths. What if there is nothing out there? What if it is just an elaborate ploy to get you to the Core? What if…”
Corb cut off his friend.
“Josh, this adventure is dangerous. But it is an adventure. I know, we know, there is something more to be learned. The Ch’en can cure disease. The nanobots can extend life by hundreds of years. But… There is more.
Why are all the new species bi-pedal? Why do the translator devices work so well? Why is it they all have planetary environmental conditions suitable to humans? Why is it the penial gland has reawakened and is allowing humans to telepathically connect? What is the significance of the Trio, the significance of Three? Where do we find the truth in the answers to these questions?
That is what we are seeking. Not me, we.
Your concern is appreciated. It is appreciated but it does not change our minds.
We pulled up our big girl and big boy panties and we are going on an adventure.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Lessons to Learn.
“There are thieves among us…
They are painting the walls.”
Zooey Daschenelle
Aboard the Jaguar
“That does not look good.”
The Jaguar had dropped out of the slip-stream and was floating in space point-five light years from the planet Gowah. Lucinda had directed the ship to proceed in-system at forty percent sub-light speed. Before the Jaguar engines engaged, two attack fighters dropped out of their slip-streams and were positioned to blockade the Jaguar.
“No, NT, that does not look good. All stop. Shields up. Alert condition one. Landry, who are they? Computer cut the klaxon.”
The bridge lights dimmed, and the ruby-colored warning lights took over, designating alert condition one. Those not buckled in decided to be safe and pull their restraints tight. The loathsome klaxon ceased.
“Confirming all stop. Shields are up. I have routed additional power to the forward shields. Captain, they are pirates. They are one-thousand meters off our bow. One pirate ship is twenty degrees to port, twenty degrees above our center line. The other pirate ship is twenty degrees to starboard twenty degrees below our center line. That is precision flying. They know what they are doing. If we move to target one pirate ship with our plasma cannons, the move will turn us broadside to the second pirate ship. If we turn toward one, the other ship will fire on us, or they will jump away.”
“How do you know they are pirates, Landry?”
“Deduction, Lucinda. Their hulls are scorched and decayed in some areas. Scored primarily from laser fire although some areas look like plasma beam tracks across the hull. Their laser cannons are targeting us, and they have not yet attempted to contact us.”
“Why are they sitting there?”
“Because, they know we out-gun them and can destroy them at will. They are waiting for you to make the first move. Depending on what you do, they will react, and try to take the Jaguar.”
“I need options people, Ragnar you first.”
“Fire on their engines, let them know we are not weak and not to be pushed around. This is not the time for negotiations. Pirates are thieves and cannot be trusted. Vikings execute pirates.”
“Starting a fight with rail guns and plasma cannons is one option. Let’s see what other possibilities might be practical. Nick?”
“Disable their FTL drives and then a short jump away. Talking to thieves is pointless.”
“That is two votes for firing first and asking questions later. NT?”
“Shoot them before they shoot us.”
“I am sensing a trend. Cass?”
“I have no clue. You are the warriors, I am an academic.”
“Michelle?”
“I am with Cass, no clue, I’m just the cook.”
“Janish?”
“Put them on the defensive, then jump away. A strong offensive is, by definition, a strong defense.”
“Landry plot the optimal targeting profile and get the Jaguar ready to hop away. Janish, Nick, Ragnar, conf
irm Landry’s targeting and navigation. If we initiate our slip-stream plasma vortex on top of their ships, it will fry them, do not hesitate to initiate the slip-stream. Initiate on my order. That leaves you, Corb. Corb? Hey, wake up!”
Sleepy-eyed, Corb tilted his head up before responding.
“Don’t forget the Triad.”
“What? You are going to have to explain.”
“Lucinda, you are thinking like a captain who is worried about her crew. But you are also a fighter. What is the simplest response to a bully?”
“Again, what is with you and the obtuse answers and asinine questions? Are you losing it? Hey, why are you so calm? Never mind, I don’t want to know. What are you talking about, use the Triad?”
“If this were the playground, and a bully was intimidating you, how would you respond?”
“I’d punch him in the mouth and walk away.”
“Well?”
“Shouldn’t we ask them what they want?”
“What do you think they want? That is a rhetorical question. Come on, Lucinda. What did we tell Josh a couple of weeks ago? It is time for your big girl panties.”
Contemplating Corb’s obsequiousness, and their current situation, Lucinda realized an important point. She, her crew, and the Jaguar, were in control of the circumstances. She looked to Janish, then to Corb before asking her final question.
“Can the Triad move one of the pirate ships?”
“We can try.”
“That is not a vote of confidence. Janish?”
“I think it is possible. We can try.”
“What are you loons babbling about now?”
“Nick, we are going to push the port ship into the starboard ship. Accurately, we are going to push the port ship into a collision course with the starboard ship. That should get their attention.”
“You can do that?”
“You are sitting right here! Are you listening? I have no idea, Nick. They said we can try.”
“You are a little tense there Lucinda. I’d try to be more like Corb. He looks knackered, like he is about to take another kip.”
Lucinda ignored Nick’s comment about Corb napping but did take several deep breaths.
“Landry maintain the targeting of their FTL drives. If we fail to move the ship, I will give you the order to fire. Or, if they fire on us, you have permission to return fire. We are going to try.”
The Triad had practiced acting as one but never for something this complex. Lucinda, Janish, and Corb, all seated on the riser, pushed buttons on their respective consoles. The three chairs turned to face the center of the platform. All three, placed their feet flat on the riser, their palms, and forearms, on the armrests.
“Landry let me know if their station keeping profile changes.”
“Let you know if they move. Will do.”
Starting with Lucinda, each Triad member nodded then simultaneously closed their eyes. Several seconds of concentration before the trilateral link meshed and an aura of contentment came over the Triad members.
“Confirmed, the port ship is moving.”
The Jaguar crew turned from watching the Triad to looking at the monitors to see the pirate ship on the left begin to move. The port pirate ship was moving against its thrusters, down and toward the pirate ship on the right. Slowly picking up speed, the port ship had closed one-third of the seven-hundred-meter gap before either pirate ship reacted. The starboard ship’s thrusters were visibly active, but the ship was not moving.
“I am picking up ship-to-ship communications between the pirate ships. I can confirm, they are Plentari pirates. They are using standard Core transmission protocols. The port ship is called the Hun Muluc and her captain is requesting instructions from the captain of the Hun K’in.”
“Hold up, did you say Hun Muluc and Hun K’in?”
“Yes, Cass. Do you want me to translate the names?”
“No need, Landry, thank you. Hun Muluc translates to One Water and Hun K’in translates to One Sun in several Mayan dialects. Water and Sun are two of the four Maya Gods. In Plentari, the titles translate a little differently, but it is close.”
“The Hun Muluc captain, Jorexalla, is begging the Hun K’in captain, her mother Jorexa to help stop the Hun Muluc. Jorexalla says her thrusters are not working and she is unable to stop her ship.”
“What is Jorexa’s response?”
“Ragnar, Jorexa is ignoring her daughter. It looks like she is trying to figure out how to save her ship. Two hundred meters to impact.”
Several tense seconds as the Jaguar crew watched the pirate ships close the distance between each other.
“One hundred and fifty meters. Jorexa just told Jorexella what she is going to do to save their ships. Stand by… Simulations confirmed, her idea will work.”
The Triad opened their eyes and turned their chairs to see the main monitors. The Hun Muluc was one-hundred and thirty meters from Hun K’in when Jorexa did the only thing that could save their ships. A large visible mist of condensed water particles exploded from the rear of the Hun K’in. Jorexa expelled her cargo bay’s atmosphere using the emergency release. The Hun K’in snuck weakly forward and rolled faintly to starboard. The evasive action was not enough, the starboard nacelle of Hun Muluc clipped the port nacelle of the Hun K’in.
“Jorexa is reporting the damage to her ship is superficial. Jorexalla has confirmed her ship remains FTL capable. Jorexa has ordered both ships to leave immediately.”
The Jaguar crew watched the two Plentari pirate ships turn in unison, move away on sub-light engines, and quickly fall into azure-colored slip-stream vortexes.
“That is odd.”
“What is odd, Landry?”
“Captain, just before the Hun K’in slipped into the vortex, Jorexa sent a sub-light message.”
“Can you decrypt the message.”
“Yes, I have already decrypted the message. Would you like me to read the message?”
“No, it is better if you keep it a secret. YES! Tell us what is in the message.”
“Oh. I see. Sorry. The message is short, and it was sent sub-light. Sub-light means it is intended for someone in this system. The message says: He is here. Payment expected before K’in rests.”
Everyone was silent until NT stated what became immediately obvious to the crew of the Jaguar.
“Who knew you were such a popular guy? Apparently, there are lots of folks who want to meet the Enlightened One. I wonder what pirates charge as payment for putting their ships in danger to confirm our cowboy came to the dance?”
Chapter Thirty
Lessons Learnt
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.”
Dr. Seuss
Aboard the Jaguar Orbiting above Gowah
“Nick, cut the comms.”
“Comms cut.”
“What’s up, Michelle?”
“Lucinda, Corb, he is lying.”
Two days from the confrontation with the pirates, the Jaguar was in a geosynchronous orbit forty-thousand kilometers over the main population center of the planet Gowah. Planetary defensive fighters were buzzing around the Jaguar but maintaining an eight-thousand-meter buffer zone. The Xjaal negotiator, Aapo, was on the monitor negotiating terms with Corb. Terms to permit the Jaguar to visit planets in the Core Systems. Based on the prior interaction with him, Aapo was too friendly and too accommodating. The crew turned to look at Michelle.
“Michelle, what makes you say that?”
“Lucinda, I had a premonition. No, it was an idea. I don’t know what it was, but I am sure he is lying about something.”
Michelle looked to Corb with imploring eyes. He understood and nodded before speaking.
“Comms up, Nick”
“Good to go.”
“Magistrate Aapo, we accept your terms and will travel on the course specified. However, before we depart, we require your assurance of safe passage.”
&n
bsp; “You dare to insult the Xjaal Magistrate with requests and demands?”
“Yes, we require your assurance of safe passage. We note your Ajawlil fighters have moved to an intercept position. Further, we have yet to learn to whom you report, nor do we understand your benefactor’s intentions. Therefore, an assurance of safe passage is required, or we leave.”
Corb turned to Nick and drew a finger across his throat, indicating cut the audio. Nick nodded and pressed the appropriate console button.
“Lucinda, Janish, do you see his connection?”
“No. That is odd, I am sure he had a connection before? Janish?”
“Correct, he had a connection before. It was bright. How can you turn off a connection? He is hiding something.”
Corb nodded acceptance of the responses and waved to Nick to re-open the audio connection.
“Magistrate Aapo, we await your response. We will wait one time-unit before we depart. Jaguar out.”
Nick closed the communication link, and everyone turned to Corb.
“Landry how long is one time-unit?”
“One time-unit equates to seventy-two minutes on Earth.”
“Please set a timer for seventy minutes.”
“Done.”
A countdown clock appeared at the top of every monitor. The timer was not needed.
“Corb, Aapo is requesting to speak to you.”
“Landry kill the timer. Nick, put Aapo on the main monitor.”
“Enlightened One, we have considered your requirement and agree to the demand. You will be assured safe passage to a planet in the fourth Core System.”
“That is encouraging Magistrate. We will depart before K'inich Ajaw sets. Jaguar out.”
Nick cut the communications and turned to look at Corb. Before he could speak Landry interrupted and his avatar rushed to where Michelle was sitting.
“Everyone, please check on Michelle, she appears to be in a trance”
Rushing over to Michelle, the crew stood around her in a circle.
“I feel her. Her connection is strong.”
A Calm Mind Page 17