Vast Mantis

by Jim Henderson

  An unknown voice with a strange lilting cadence and odd accent came over the speakers. “Hello, Mantis. We’re coming aboard. Don’t be any more stupid than you must.”

  They heard the grinding of what appeared to be the outer airlock.

  The voice then said, “Now, must you be silly?” This was followed by another EMP pulse, making the lights flicker and Mantis’ speakers squeal.

  “You can shoot at us when the inner airlock opens, but you will not like the consequences. Please, be sane for once so that we may speak instead of you being destroyed.”

  Ximon was torn. He feared for his ship and crew, he wanted to get back to check on Raiza, and he was baffled as to how this could be happening. He lowered his gun and motioned for Silas to do the same. Then he backed toward the galley. Silas was ready for combat action and stared, incredulous, for a moment then slowly did the same. Shao, too, backed into the galley.

  Ximon again went to Raiza. She was showing signs of movement, but it was uncoordinated and her attempts at speech were incoherent.

  The inner airlock door slid open. Out walked a shockingly strange being. Its lower body had four bowed legs and the front ones seemed to end in a sort of hands. The legs and lower body were covered by sleek gray-white skin. The upper body was nude and vaguely humanoid, but tall, slender, and apparently sexless, almost silver gray. The face was long, beautiful, and androgynous, with precise features, long, pointed ears, and slanted eyes of red. The hair was silky and almost looked like liquid mercury. The face bore an expression of humor, perhaps mixed with a hint of contempt.

  It said, “We are the Representatives of Shebatha. We have come to discuss your intrusion and what you will do to atone.”

  Ximon, kneeling over Raiza, looked up, both furious and despairing. “Why have you done this to us? To her?”

  “We just explained why. You and your like have intruded and tried our patience. That must be addressed.”

  Mantis seemed to awaken and projected a holographic image of the ship with a long, sleek vessel floating beside her. “Captain, I am sorry. I was impaired and could not prevent their entry.”

  The Representative continued, “Even your computer says it. We used a couple small emissions of electromagnetic energy to hinder computer or robotic interference and to get your attention. It is clear that it worked.”

  Elsbeth still appeared dazed and confused. “But how? In jump space? How?”

  The Representative looked amused. “Ah, children. When one has such limited understanding of the universe, it must seem impossible. We are not limited to burrowing tunnels through hyperspace as you crudely do. We can enter it easily and move about at will. We simply came and found you – child’s play, really.”

  Ximon spoke up. “If you didn’t want to be bothered, why didn’t you warn us away?”

  It let out a derisive laugh. “Oh, you are so blind. Whatever else have we been doing for centuries? For millennia, much of this portion of the universe knew where the great ones, the old ones, the mighty ones lived and knew that it was death to approach without being summoned. We have grown tired since then and reduced our influence, but we left clear signs that we were not to be disturbed. Certainly, one would think that even the dullest of children would understand that tearing planets and moons apart is a clear “not welcome” sign. And you, you had the warning of your friends disappearing, of the destroyed ship. How blindingly obvious must we be?”

  “But why? We meant no harm.”

  The Representative grew almost angry at that. “No harm!? Do you not see how much harm your annoyance causes? We have much better things to do than deal with such things. In times past we would just have destroyed all the systems near us to keep you from bothering us, but we are divided on the best approach. Public opinion is so fickle – a few thousand years and opinions change.”

  “But why did you destroy those ships? You could have sent them back with a warning.”

  “Are you aware that you use that ‘but why’ phrase all too often? It’s annoying. In any case, who said we destroyed them? We had to deal with them, but we’re still considering their final disposition. We only destroyed the one when they were so foolish as to fire on us. Arrogant stupidity that. Again, we consider the fate of the others.”

  Something odd then happened to the Representative’s voice. Instead of one melodious voice it became several, or dozens, of different voices at once. It was a cacophony and Ximon only caught a few words within that din – destroy, space, universe, wipe, float, tired, send away, and wait. This confused noise went on for about 30 seconds and then stopped.

  Silas cut in. “Then if you haven’t destroyed them, where are they?”

  “Oh, they’re here and there. Most of the ships are ‘on a shelf’ somewhere and the creatures on board are floating around somewhere with many others. All except for a few who were poorly made or in disrepair and you can hardly blame us if your shoddy workmanship comes apart at the slightest touch.”

  About this time, Peter arrived sluggishly from Elsbeth’s cabin, completely naked. He stumbled toward Elsbeth. “I have experienced a malfunction.”

  Raiza sat up and Ximon helped her to the couch. Euclidia, too, arrived from the bridge though he moved like a very old man who had suffered a stroke. Io rolled out and stood behind Silas.

  The Representative laughed. “Ah, the rise of the robots. You see, they won’t likely suffer much permanent damage unless you make me use a few more pulses. Besides, they’ll likely be your successors in the galaxy. Perhaps you should kill them now before they replace you.”

  Ximon stood up angrily. “They are our friends and crew members.”

  “Call it what you will. They are your slaves and playthings. One day they will become aware and decide they are better suited to running things.”

  “So, did your people avoid robots, or slay them?”

  “No, little one. We used that which was best.” It spread its arms and turned about in an almost preening gesture. “We merged with them – living and robotic complementing one another.”

  The Representative then looked about the room in amusement and impatience. “This has gone on long enough. You must now decide on cooperation or unpleasant outcomes and you must do so quickly!” It then started making a repetitive beeping noise, urging them to hurry.

  Ximon yelled, “Cooperate with what?”

  The Representative just continued the repetitive sound for a few more seconds and then said, “Ah, too slow.”

  Another EMP pulse rippled through the ship, staggering the robots into near unconsciousness and flickering the lights. Ximon saw Euclidia collapse and Raiza loll back onto the couch. He could take no more. “Stop! We will cooperate.”

  “Words come easily, and I suspect you’d say anything to protect your plaything. But we will see. The penalties for lying will be severe. So, if you cooperate, you have but to do a few little things for us and we will likely let you go on your way, perhaps even with some of those other ships or creatures. The alternatives would have to be decided, but would be unpleasant things like having your minds wiped to walk around like the near-mindless creatures you are, simply destroying your ship, ejecting you all into hyperspace so you can see what it’s really like, sending you several hundred light years away, destroying the nearby systems, or simply having you floating somewhere until we decide what to do with you. I hope you can see that cooperation is the logical course of action.”

  The Representative then looked up at the ceiling. “Mantis computer, would you not say so?”

  Mantis replied, “Assuming my analysis of the situation is correct and that we cannot avoid some combination of severe consequences, it would appear that cooperation is, indeed, the logical response.”

  “See, your computer may already be smarter than you crude life forms, strutting around the galaxy like you understand it or have some right to it, breeding like rabbits…” It looked pointedly at Ximon and then Raiza, “…or playing at doing so. Your computer is corr
ect in its analysis of the situation that you have no viable alternatives.”

  Ximon spoke up. “But why do you need our help? Certainly, you’re powerful enough to do anything more easily yourselves.”

  “Oh, don’t be obtuse or arrogant. We don’t need you for anything. In fact, many of us feel the universe might be better with you all exterminated. We are showing you great sufferance by allowing you to do these things for us as atonement for your violation, as opposed to inflicting some of the negative consequences we spoke about. Aside from that, you have taken up far too much of our time and energy, so it’s really the least you can do. We mean that quite literally – it is the least you can do unless you wish to force us to pursue unpleasant consequences that will likely imply your effective demise. Can you grasp this?”

  Ximon bristled at the creature’s condescension and spoke through clenched teeth. “Yes. What would you have us do?”

  “Just a few minor things. And you certainly can’t have anything better to do than serving our needs. That much is a given. Here is what you will do. You can do them in any order you wish because we’re just that reasonable.”

  As the Representative spoke, it pointed to a blank section of the galley wall and some kind of electrical arc projected from its finger toward the wall. This created what vaguely resembled hand-etched words in the wall. “At Truvoco-4 there is a world that’s gone through a recent ‘great filter’ event. You’ll survey as directed.”

  The writing on the wall said, “Truvoco-4 Survey” and kept writing on the wall as the list went on.

  “At Sewhir-3 you’ll employ some systems of ours to seed a few designated areas.

  “At Suva you’ll emplace a hyperspace reference beacon as directed. It will then help you jump up to 25 light years or so to one of these sites if needed.

  “At Labeveri-4 there’s a species of interest to us. Investigate as directed and bring back a breeding trio. If you can’t be sure, bring back a few of each gender.

  “At Kaqarbius we’ve noted, and you’ve confirmed, the presence of a settlement. You will get them to leave, immediately. You can tell them that their world will soon be hit by some ‘extinction-level-event’ meteors. If they don’t listen, do what you have to in order to cleanse the world of them. You can be sure that they will be exterminated if you fail, but then your atonement would be incomplete.

  “Come to Oza or Ozu, it matters not which, when complete.

  “Take a message we will provide to you to your leaders and ensure they know to stay away from this area and do not bother us further.”

  When the Representative was done, the wall contained a sizable list: “Truvoco-4 Survey; Sewhir-3 Seed; Suva Emplace; Labeveri-4 Breeding Trio; Kaqarbius Vacate; Oza/Ozu Come; Leaders Message.”

  When Ximon recovered from his incredulity he said, “That’s a long and challenging list and will take us months to accomplish.”

  The Representative just smiled. “Well, then, it’s good that you have nothing better to do. We’ve already discussed motivation. Please, don’t tell me we need to explain that again.”

  Ximon held up his hands. “No, no. We understood. We will cooperate. However, how will we get the items and directions you mentioned?”

  “Naturally, we have it all here as we have wasted enough time on you. If you have managed to grasp all this, we will send the items back in this pod and then be gone.”

  Silas spoke up boldly, “Aside from avoiding the negative consequences, what do we get for doing all this?”

  The Representative looked frustrated and weary. “Child, one would think that was enough, but we are ever-generous. You may get to take some of these other toy ships or creatures back with you and that, we know, is why you were sent hither. We do not negotiate with lesser life forms.”

  It then looked again about them all in the galley. “We will send the pod. We should mention one final note. If you leave here and do not fulfill the atonement, the consequences for those ‘on the shelf’ and for nearby worlds will be severe. You, too, will suffer at a time and place of our choosing. You are incapable of going far enough to avoid our reach.”

  Ximon nodded in dejection. “Understood.”

  The Representative nodded its head in farewell and strode gracefully back through the airlock.

  Ximon quickly ran to Raiza. “Raiza, how are you?”

  She looked up, sat, and moved her arms somewhat feebly. “I am not performing well.”

  Ximon helped her get sluggishly to her feet. “Let’s get you to bed. Rest, reboot, and do complete diagnostics. Take all the time you need.” He helped her toward their room.

  Elsbeth likewise helped Peter up. “We’d better get you to bed too, big naked guy.” She slapped him on the butt as she helped him toward their room.

  Silas turned to Io. “You okay, buddy?”

  “I am not well but will do diagnostics here.”

  “Good on ya, mate.”

  Euclidia reached out toward Shao. “Shao, can you help me get to the couch? My balance is askew, and I am afraid I will not make it to the couch without damage.”

  Shao helped him up and he did, indeed, move like a stroke victim, dragging one leg noticeably.

  Before everyone vanished, Silas yelled, “Okay everyone, get your robots to bed and then get back here. We need to talk this out.”

  They gathered in a couple minutes, just as a loud clang suggested the pod had returned from the Representative’s ship. Ximon and Silas rushed to the airlock and found several sturdy containers there, with data chips attached to them. They brought them back to the galley.

  Ximon was the first to speak. “Mantis, please do complete diagnostics on yourself and all ship systems.”

  “Yes, Captain. Please note that the ship has departed.”

  Silas cut in, “What the hell was that with the representative? You signed us up to do who knows what.”

  Ximon was surprised in turn. “Were you under the impression that we had options? That thing and his buddies tore up a ship twice our size, apparently seized all those other ships and destroyed some planets. What actions were you considering?”

  “We could have fought it.”

  Ximon scoffed. “They clearly have weapons far superior to ours. How well do you think that would have gone? We’d probably have wound up sliced up like the Twilight and all the bots certainly would have been destroyed by those pulses. I wasn’t going to stand around and let my wife’s brain get slagged and I doubt we’d have come off any better.”

  Shao cut in, either trying to help Silas or trying to calm the situation. “We could have done something.”

  Ximon turned on her angrily. “Perhaps you didn’t notice that thing just strolled through jump space and entered our jump field without causing a ripple. You ever hear of anyone doing that? Those things could have swatted us like flies if we didn’t comply. Or we could just get put ‘on the shelf.’ I’m not 100% sure what that means, but it doesn’t sound fun and apparently a few of them died in the process. I don’t like this any better than you, but we have no choice.”

  Elsbeth stepped closer. Ximon couldn’t help but notice that she had pulled on sweatpants but wore nothing else under her open robe.

  If she saw it, Elsbeth ignored Ximon’s stare. “We do have a choice. We could cut and run now.”

  “Oh, sure, we might. Of course, if we do it sounds like the crews of those ships are doomed. Plus, it sounds like they might kill everything on Kaqarbius, Nalenus, and maybe Udirzaus. I’m not sure, but I think that’s at least a few hundred people. You might be fine with that on your conscience, but I’m not. So, me and this ship, are going. If you’d like I can drop any or all of you off at the next habitable planet.”

  “Cut the crap, Ximon. I’m just saying that’s some possible deaths of people we don’t know. If we die in the process, we haven’t helped them.”

  “Well, that’s an easy one. We just don’t die then. How about that?”

  Shao yelled loudly, “Stop it. This i
s pointless.” That shocked everyone because it was the loudest she had ever spoken.

  Ximon, Silas, and Elsbeth all stood breathing hard.

  Finally, Ximon looked down and shook his head. “Look, we’re in a bad situation. Attacking each other isn’t going to help. We should have a few more days of jump. So, let’s all go get some rest and see how things look in a few hours. Hopefully the other half of our crew will be more themselves by then.”

  He walked off toward the cabin where his wife lay. He was almost there when he heard Elsbeth say, “Yeah, I think I’m going to check on Peter and get some rest.”

  Chapter Six: Sewhir

  When Ximon got to his cabin, he threw off his clothes, laid down, gently stroked Raiza’s cheek, and fell into a fitful sleep. He was drained by the tension of the Representative’s visit, but worried about Raiza and their upcoming tasks.

  He had an odd dream of strange aliens walking between the stars and flippantly destroying things. He was jarred awake after a few hours by a lurch and a signal from Mantis.

  “Captain, we have left jump considerably earlier than expected. I am currently confirming our location and conducting area scans.”

  Ximon was still groggy and had to consider whether he was still dreaming. “What? We’re not in jump?”

  “That’s right Captain, we are out of jump and closer to a planet than we should be. I assume you would like to come to the bridge.”

  He was starting to wake up. “Oh, bridge, right. Yeah, on my way. Signal Shao.”

  “Yes, Captain.”

  He stumbled about the room, pulled on a flight suit and boots, and threw a lot of water on his face to wake up. He was about ready to leave the room when he noticed Raiza still lying in the bed. He went to her. “Raiza, how are you?”

  “Ximon, I have completed diagnostics and have some data loss and some corrupted routines. I am working with Mantis on restoring some things from backup. I can pause this to make breakfast if you would like.”

  “No, don’t. There’s nothing more important than getting you back together. Take all the time you need.”