by S. H. Jucha
Rictook surveyed the audience, trying to determine the best way of reviving the attendees’ enthusiasm, which they’d shown when they first entered the apartment. He had to admit his misjudgment in allowing Roknick to attend. On the other hand, it merely advanced the confrontation with his daughter that would have eventually taken place.
“Envoy,” Rictook requested, and Harbour stood, “I apologize for the part you were compelled to play in this clash of wills.” Then Rictook’s gaze targeted his daughter.
Tacticnok was relishing her victory over Roknick. Belatedly, her father’s words made her realize what she’d failed to focus on. She might have been the one to request Captain Harbour as the Pyrean envoy, but it was done with her father’s permission. More important, Harbour was presented to Rictook, the Jatouche ruler, for approval.
Tacticnok rose and deeply bowed her head to Harbour. “His Excellency is gracious to offer you his apology,” she said, “but I invoked this confrontation. It wasn’t my intention to involve you, Envoy, and for that you have my sincere regret.”
The royal daughter turned her attention toward her father, as she said, “However, in an effort to protect what I see as a most valuable relationship with your species, Envoy, I’ll do whatever is necessary to remove every impediment.”
Rictook’s lips trembled with effort, as he fought to keep from baring his teeth. The fierceness his daughter portrayed was a necessary ingredient in a successful ruler. It brought him a small measure of peace that he had desperately sought about her eventual ascension. With a subtle motion of his hand, Rictook bade his daughter sit. It wasn’t the lift and settling of a few fingers. It was an upturned hand. It was a gracious offer to assume a rightful seat.
“I wait to hear your exploration strategy,” Rictook requested. He was amused that the presentation was made by Advisors Jaktook and Cinders. The two males projected on a monitor the scenarios they’d analyzed, and the actions they expected the team to take. They traded off the narration, as if they’d worked together for decades. This gave Rictook an inkling of the bonds made by the intravertor team while they worked beside the humans at Pyre.
At one point, Tacticnok, who had been studiously observing her father, saw his attention waver. He was growing tired. She signaled Jaktook, who’d been speaking, to quiet. “Do you have any questions thus far, Your Excellency?” she asked.
Rictook stirred. “I must admit that I expected a shorter summary of your plan,” he said. “That you’ve thought through your strategy to this depth gives me hope for success if you can counter the Colony’s actions. At this point, I do have one question. If you meet non-alliance sentients, who’re occupying their domes, how will you communicate with them?”
Tacticnok said, “I’ve spoken to Jakkock, Your Excellency. While he’s willing to join the team, his mate is expecting soon, and I’ve excused him from joining the team. He told me that if a race has learned the console, a translation app can be swiftly built, and Jaktook has those abilities.”
“And if they’re present and haven’t deciphered the Messinants glyphs?” Rictook asked.
“It would be the same learning process that the Pyreans experienced over a matter of cycles,” Tacticnok replied, “and we wouldn’t possess those skills or have the luxury of that amount of time.”
“Curiosity coupled with a peaceful reception served you well at the Triton dome,” Rictook commented. “Let’s hope you enjoy that type of reception wherever you journey.” He knew full well that wouldn’t be the case. The alliance had experienced a significant number of encounters that had resulted in the demise of the initial teams before communication was established.
Idrian and Dottie shared a quiet exchange. Rictook’s pronouncement had struck home. Many Pyreans and especially Pyre’s leaders had decried Jessie and Harbour’s discoveries at the Triton dome. The unknowns of terrifying aliens and deadly infections had led to unreasoning fear. Yet, if it hadn’t been for their responses to Tacticnok’s invitations, none of them would be sitting here on comfortable pallets in a monarch’s apartment, which was situated on a beautifully green planet — one with breathable air.
“Should we continue the presentation later, Your Excellency?” Tacticnok asked, concerned for her father’s failing health.
“How much have we seen?” Rictook asked.
Jaktook briefly dipped his head in apology and said, “About one third, Your Excellency.”
At that, Rictook finally bared his teeth before he said, “There is no means by which I can judge the thoroughness of your preparations. Suffice it to say, you’ve surpassed my expectations. I give my consent to your enterprise.”
The audience took a moment to quietly celebrate, murmuring to one another and clasping nearby hands.
“Envoy, you asked two difficult questions of me,” Rictook said, “and I’m prepared to answer them. As to the value of a Pyrean life, there is no quantification. The Jatouche regard each sentient as irreplaceable, and, as the ruler of this world, it’s my duty to safeguard my citizens and the lives of alliance members who visit us. If I were to make a personal judgment, I wouldn’t permit this plan to go forward.”
Rictook took a moment to compose his thoughts, and Harbour detected a shift in his emotional state. Sadness swept through him.
“However, as the ruler of this world, I’m responsible for the future of my citizens too,” Rictook continued, “and what you offer is an incredible temptation for the Jatouche. I recognize that Pyreans lead a harsh existence and are accustomed to risk, and I credit that you’re volunteering to do this for both our races. My daughters, one of whom will rule in my place, urge me to support your proposal, but I’d like to give you this final opportunity to rescind your offer.”
“Your Excellency, I recognize that this decision has weighed heavily on your conscience. I feel that,” Harbour replied, letting the ruler know that she was employing her power in a passive manner. “But this is a matter of survival for Pyreans, and the volunteers are well aware of the risks.”
“It was as I thought,” Rictook said. “My advisors have put together an offer that encompasses the possible results from your exploration. It gives credit to each phase of discovery, recruitment, and membership of a sentient race. Each phase rewards the Pyreans in technology and material goods. However, for your first foray to the Colony dome and regardless of your success, the Jatouche pledge to supply intravertor parts to the Pyreans at whatever rate you can build and deploy the devices until such time as your planet’s surface is openly habitable.”
The Pyreans exchanged glances of disbelief. For the possible sacrifice of a few, if it came to that, there was a real opportunity to claim the planet’s surface for generations to come.
When the Pyreans’ surprise subsided, Rictook continued. “Envoy, I do offer your team an unexpected resource. It might or might not be to your liking, but that will be your decision. I received a request from Mangoth of the Logar. He wished an audience with you. He waits at Rissness for your arrival.”
“Did Mangoth indicate what he wanted?” Harbour asked.
It was Rictook’s turn to be surprised. “Envoy, Mangoth is a Crocian. The Jatouche are not in the habit of questioning the Crocians.”
The audience with Rictook ended shortly after delivery of the ruler’s message about Mangoth, and the envoy team retired with Tacticnok and the advisors to an engineering laboratory.
The engineers chittered excitedly among themselves when their guests arrived. For all of them, this had been their first challenge to design and construct weapons against Colony species. It made no difference to them that they were defensive designs.
Over the course of hours, the exploration team tried on new suits, armored against the strike of the Colony species. They tested stun weapons, gas bombs, electronic sound generators, and other tech designed to temporarily impair the Colony biologically.
“What’s that?” Aurelia asked, examining a compact ball of ultrafine mesh with a small nipple.
&
nbsp; Jaktook signaled an engineer, who picked up the ball, flipped the nipple over, and threw the ball. The ball expanded in a quiet rush of air into a round net. The engineer’s eyes were bright with excitement in expectation of the Pyreans’ approval, except the humans were confounded.
“What does it do?” Aurelia asked.
“The net is designed to cover a platform and extend over its edge,” Jaktook explained.
“And so?” Devon prompted.
“According to the Messinants, individuals or cargo must remain within the platform’s limits” Jaktook replied.
“So you’ve been able to test this mesh on platform activation and this other gear against the Colony?” Jessie asked, seeking confirmation.
The air of enthusiasm drained from the engineers, and their crestfallen faces turned toward Jaktook.
“These are theoretical designs and untested constructions,” Jaktook explained. “They’re based on the historical recordings of the fights during the Colony’s incursions.”
“Theoretical, untested,” Devon repeated, shaking his head in dismay. “We won’t have all day to test these, one by one, on the Colony until we find one that works.”
“Maybe that’s where the envoy and I can play a part,” Aurelia enthused. “Our combined powers might be our initial defense. It would give the team a chance to try out the equipment.”
“Whatever we attempt to do,” Jaktook said, “It’s of paramount importance that we protect Kractik and allow her to reach and program the console. Without that step, we aren’t journeying anywhere, either returning to Rissness or accessing another gate.”
“It’ll be imperative to select a few strategies and have a shorthand method of communicating quickly which one we want to employ,” Devon volunteered.
“Agreed,” Jessie returned, and Devon and he put their heads together to devise some simple actions and their triggers. When they updated the team, several changes were made until the tactics were complete.
Finally, there were no more preparations to make. Tacticnok thought that discussions should continue on some minutiae, and she was surprised to find the envoy’s servants packing her duffels.
“Isn’t this premature?” Tacticnok asked.
“I’ve learned from a wonderful spacer by the name of Dingles that there is a thing such as too much planning,” Harbour replied. “We have our strategies, our tactics, and our tools. It’s time to find out what we face.”
Tacticnok accepted the inevitable, saying, “I’ll arrange a shuttle for you.”
“Jaktook has ordered one,” Harbour replied. She detected a sharp spike of angst from the royal daughter. “Tacticnok, the team is ready, and I think Jaktook didn’t want to prolong his goodbye,” she said gently.
“It feels as if I’m no longer in control of what I’ve begun,” Tacticnok said wistfully.
“Dingles, the spacer I mentioned, told me that to be a respected captain I had to trust my crew,” Harbour said. “You’ve taken enormous steps to create a relationship with Pyreans, and my envoy party has found a means of enabling a basis for exchange. Now, it’s time for you to let this exploration team see what it can accomplish.”
Tacticnok nodded her acceptance, but Harbour could sense that her emotional pain had failed to substantially subside.
Having cued the team and the royal servants, arrangements proceeded with alacrity. In a short amount of time, individuals and baggage were aboard the shuttle.
The Pyreans luxuriated in the newly installed seats that suited their proportions. The Rissness console had provided the dimensions of each traveler, and the Jatouche had been able to incorporate features that allowed adjustments to each Pyrean.
Tacticnok and Jaktook sat together, and humans heard their conversation range from murmurs to arguments. Jessie, who was seated next to Harbour, glanced questioningly at her.
“Tacticnok is upset that Jaktook is on the team,” Harbour explained. “She accepts the reason for why it is he must go, but she’s still unhappy about it.”
“I completely understand her reaction,” Jessie replied. He added a scowl, in case Harbour didn’t catch his point. In reply, she laughed softly and detected Jessie’s instant emotional shift from annoyance to affection. She’d felt that shift many times. Something about her laughter triggered an instant and tender reaction in Jessie.
Jessie glanced around, as if to signal a desire to change the conversation. He asked, “Are Dottie and Idrian still committed to their plan?”
“Yes,” Harbour replied. “They intend to wait at Rissness with Henry for a few days to see what happens. If we don’t return, they will journey to Triton and have the Jatouche console operator call one of your ships for pickup.”
“Hmm,” Jessie murmured.
Harbour chuckled, more to feel Jessie’s emotional emanations than anything else. “That’s a terse comment even for you,” she teased.
“I don’t like the idea of them reaching Pyre first and being the ones to control the information, even with Henry there,” Jessie groused.
Harbour noted that Jessie’s usually unflappable persona was becoming more mercurial, and she had a good idea as to why. He was still opposed to Aurelia and her accompanying the team.
What Harbour had come to realize was that Jessie’s objection to Aurelia and her taking part in the exploration didn’t stem from some misguided need to protect women or from a belief that females shouldn’t participate in dangerous assignments. A person had only to recognize that two of Jessie’s three captains were women. No, it was the fact that these two particular women, both empaths, had gotten past Jessie’s emotional armor, and he was struggling to deal with that.
“The three of them can tell their stories, and when we return to Pyre, we’ll tell ours,” Harbour said. “And whose tale do you think will be more mesmerizing?” she asked rhetorically, grinning conspiratorially at Jessie.
-19-
Mangoth
The party exited their shuttle at Rissness, worked their way through the tunnels, and entered the dome. Harbour’s envoy status attracted the courtesies of every alien she passed. It intrigued her how each individual could easily pay her respect without losing focus on where they were walking or what they were doing. There must be so many worlds and so many envoys, she thought.
Jaktook walked beside Tacticnok with an element of pride. He proudly displayed his advisor’s medallion, which was similar in shape to Harbour’s but broadcast a different message.
On the platform deck, the Pyreans watched a heavy-bodied Crocian waddle toward them on a pair of thick, squat hind legs. The massive scaled alien stopped in front of Jaktook, who introduced himself and then Tacticnok. The alien tipped his massive head toward the royal daughter. When Jaktook gestured to Harbour, the alien dropped his head in deference.
“Envoy Harbour, I’m Mangoth of the Logar,” the alien announced. “As you can see, the Jatouche have completed their repairs on me. My beauty has been restored.” He turned his head from side to side, and the dome’s light glistened off his scales, producing tiny prisms of refracted light. “You’ll not be averse to being seen in my presence,” Mangoth added.
“Yes, you appear magnificent, Mangoth,” Harbour said, giving Jessie a bewildered look. The alien’s long jaw loomed over her head. A muscular tail protruded from the rear of its sheath, and its folded hands ended in blunt, black claws.
“I’ve met three of your kind, Envoy. They appealed to me, and I’ve chosen to support your endeavor,” Mangoth announced.
“How do you know what we intend to do, Mangoth?” Jessie asked.
Mangoth’s snout turned toward Jessie, and his eyes studied the captain. He’d heard the brief announcement of the envoy’s advisor from Jessie’s medallion. “I see impertinence runs through your race, Envoy.”
“Yes, it does,” Harbour acknowledged sternly, “and my advisor asked you a question.”
Mangoth’s roar had the domes’ visitors pausing in their steps before hurrying on their wa
y. “I had hoped the three I met were indicative of your kind, Envoy, and I’m pleased to see my hope realized. We’ll make fine comrades.”
“And the answer to my advisor’s question, Mangoth?” Harbour persisted.
“We’re Crocians, one of the original members of the alliance,” Mangoth stated. “As such, we’re exalted. It behooves our race to know the machinations of the other members. We’ve watched three species struggle with their gate connections to the Colony and wondered when they would find a means of dealing with the incorrigible sentients. Through our sources, we learned of your proposal, Envoy.”
“I appreciate your offer, Mangoth, but we’ve made special arrangements for our deployment through the gates,” Harbour said respectfully.
Mangoth’s head snapped back in surprise. The possibility of the envoy refusing his offer had never occurred to him. After all, he was Crocian. He realized he had made a grievous error, assuming he was dealing with a lesser race, and it had produced unintended consequences. He adopted the manners of dealing with an exalted alliance member.
“I wish to hear your concerns, Envoy,” Mangoth said politely.
Harbour signed to Jessie, requesting he reply.
“We have armored suits against the Colony,” Jessie pointed out.
“I wear mine,” Mangoth pronounced, tapping a heavy claw against his scaled hide.
“Our suits are fitted with respirators in case we have to deploy gas,” Jessie argued.
“What is the gas intended to do?” Mangoth asked.
“Put the Colony species to sleep,” Jessie replied.
“For how long?” Mangoth asked.
“We don’t know if the gas will work, much less how long it will work,” Jessie said.
“Let me be more precise,” Mangoth riposted. “How long is the gas active?”
Jessie looked at Jaktook, who replied, “In our experiments, the gas dissipated within nine gik-kicks.”
“Again, this is not a problem,” Mangoth replied. “Crocians are capable of holding their breaths for several times this long.”
