by S. H. Jucha
“I will tell her, Harbour,” Jaktook said, gently touching Harbour’s forearm, “but I doubt she’ll listen to me.”
“Then you tell her that if she wallows in self-pity I’ll return and discipline her severely,” Harbour said, maintaining a straight face.
Jaktook flashed his teeth and shot back, “If I told her that, she’d probably pretend to accept responsibility to the extent that you’d be enticed to return.”
Harbour laughed at that thought, helped herself to a meal from the dispenser, and joined the others at the tables.
When the teams fell onto their pallets, they slept deeply. In the corridor, per Harbour’s request, soldiers rotated duty to prevent the explorers from being disturbed with messages.
They’d arrived at Rissness in the early afternoon, Pyre time, and slept for more than half a day. It was an indication of the extraordinary stress each individual had suffered for an extended period.
On waking, Mangoth was the first to depart. “I must make a lengthy report to the Tsargit,” he told the group, “and they will need to study our data in depth.”
“Before you leave, Mangoth, I’d like to make copies of your three cubes,” Jaktook requested.
“Certainly, Jaktook, please do it quickly. I must be on my way,” Mangoth replied. He turned to Jessie and said, “Advisor, any time you wish to explore the galaxy’s domes, I’ll expect a message from you. I wouldn’t want to be left out.”
“That I’ll do, Mangoth,” Jessie replied. “I wouldn’t want to go exploring without a magnificent fellow such as you.”
Mangoth roared his amusement and said, “In truth, Jessie, I’m far from being the most magnificent of my kind.”
Harbour, who had been listening to the exchange, said quietly, “You are to us, Mangoth.”
Mangoth regarded his fellow explorers. “The events surrounding our journey will remain with me for my lifetime,” he said. “You’ve been most honorable and trustworthy companions. A Crocian could ask for none better.” He tipped his snout to Harbour and Jessie. Then Jaktook and he made their way to the deck’s console to copy the cubes.
While the explorers were enjoying a second meal, Jaktook returned with his cubes.
“Will you join us?” asked Harbour, when she saw Jaktook hesitate.
“A shuttle leaves soon for Na-Tikkook,” Jaktook replied. “I wish to catch it, and speak to Her Highness as soon as possible. I believe my audience will include His Excellency and the master advisors.”
“Please give His Excellency my regards, Jaktook,” Harbour said. She rose from the table, bent down, and embraced the little Jatouche. While she held him, she sent the gentlest touch of warmth and heard his sigh. Standing up, she added, “Beloved friend, we will see each other again someday.”
“I’ll make sure of that,” Jaktook said. “See them safely home, Kractik,” he ordered, and then he said his farewells to the group and left.
“There’s nothing to keep us,” Harbour said. “All weapons are to be left behind. We take only our personal gear.”
“Seriously?” Devon asked, eyeing his beam weapon, which elicited a round of laughter.
Yet, Harbour didn’t sense levity or mirth from Devon, which gave her a moment of pause, and in addition, Tracy was another individual not laughing.
Personal gear was grabbed, and soldiers gathered the teams’ vac suits. Jessie noted that the soldiers also packed for them the specialized Jatouche armored versions, and he signed to Harbour to take note of it.
The teams left in their latest order. After arriving in the Triton dome, Aurelia waited until the second team arrived. Then she ran to the console, opened the empty projection submenu, and entered the query. When the dome darkened and displayed the star map with ringed-stars indicating the locations of Messinants’ domes, she turned a self-satisfied smile on the group.
“Show off,” Olivia quipped, ending her comment with a wry smile.
Jessie decided to test his console abilities by accessing the comm panel, projecting the ship choices, and selecting the Belle. He smiled at Aurelia, sharing their mutual pleasure at discovering the workings of the consoles of the ancient race of Messinants. Aurelia grinned in reply.
Harbour stepped beside Jessie for the call.
Beatrice “Birdie” Andrews was on comm duty on the Honora Belle’s bridge. She nearly jumped out of her seat when she saw Harbour and Jessie’s faces on the comm monitor. She yelled, “They’re back,” without accepting the call. Then she realized her error and tapped the panel to connect the call.
“Captains … I mean, Envoy, Advisor, you’re back,” Birdie declared happily.
“You sound like you missed us,” Jessie teased.
“You’ve no idea,” Birdie replied, her voice suddenly serious. “There’s a lot going on, and you’re needed.”
Harbour and Jessie glanced at each other, nearly missing Birdie say, “Let me comm Captain Bassiter.”
“Captain Bassiter?” queried Harbour, a smile on her face.
“The crew refuses to address him as Captain Dingles,” Birdie replied. “They said it doesn’t suit the captain of Pyre’s most prestigious ship.”
Harbour’s smile widened. A few years ago, the Belle had held station over Pyre without getting underway for centuries. Now refurbished, outfitted, and supplying much-needed slush for the YIPS, the crew was proclaiming her ascension.
“Here’s the captain,” Birdie announced, right before Dingles’ face appeared in the console’s projection.
“I hear it’s now Captain Bassiter,” Harbour said. She was overjoyed to see the aging spacer and was careful to keep her power under control lest she overwhelm Jessie.
“Only in public, Envoy Harbour,” Dingles replied.
“I think it’s appropriate, Captain,” Harbour stated. “Did you move into the captain’s quarters?”
“Negative, Envoy,” Dingles replied evenly.
Despite the separation, Harbour could detect the stress in Dingles’ voice, and she began to wonder what had transpired in her absence.
“See that you and Nadine occupy those quarters before I board your ship again, Captain,” Harbour ordered. “Your promotion to the position of captain of the Honora Belle is hereby made permanent.”
“You’re not returning to the Belle?” Dingles asked. The tone of his voice wavered ever so slightly.
“My returns will only be for visits, Captain,” Harbour replied. She kept her tone firm to impress on Dingles the importance of the leadership change.
“Big doings at Na-Tikkook?” Dingles asked.
Harbour’s eyes bored into the projection, seeking to lock with Dingles. Then she said, “Big doings in the galaxy.” She could hear Birdie in the background say, “Oh, for the love of Pyre and elsewhere.”
“Captain Bassiter, we need a ride,” Jessie said.
“The Belle is making for the YIPS. We’re on the opposite side of Pyre from you, Captain,” Dingles replied. “Your ships are at the YIPS and the JOS.”
“Send the Spryte, Captain,” Jessie said. “Tell Captain Tulafono that she can leave a number of crew behind so that we can have some empty berths.”
“Aye, aye, Captain,” Dingles replied. “One ship and berths for eleven coming up.”
“That’s berths for ten,” Harbour corrected. She saw the furrowing of Dingles’ face, and she could guess at the questions forming in his mind, but he chose to keep them to himself.
“Understood, Envoy,” Dingles replied quietly.
Harbour signed to Jessie, and he said, “Triton out,” ending the call.
“My work is done, Envoy, if you have no more need of me,” Kractik said.
“We’ll be fine, Kractik. I think we know our way around a dome or two,” Harbour replied.
The little Jatouche flashed her teeth wide at the humorous remark.
Before Harbour could thank Kractik, Aurelia knelt in front of the Jatouche and enfolded her in her arms. “I’ll miss you,” Aurelia whispered, sending th
e smallest amount of warmth Kractik’s way.
Kractik’s eyes fluttered, and she quipped, “And I’ll miss that … and you,” she added, with a display of her teeth. When Aurelia released her, Kractik spent some time with each explorer, sharing her thoughts with them. At Tracy, Kractik held the spacer’s hands in silence. There was nothing she thought she could say that would ease the pain of a beloved sibling’s death.
At the console, Kractik set the delay for her journey through the gate. With Jessie and Aurelia hovering over her, she canceled the settings and slowly set them again. Then Jessie stepped in and set them for Kractik.
“Activate, Advisor,” Kractik said, gathering her pack and hurrying for the platform. She leapt onto it, waved her hand, and was gone.
There were a few moments, while everyone gathered their thoughts. They were nearly home, but it would be a couple of weeks before they saw some familiar faces.
“Well, I don’t know about anybody else, but I can’t wait to dig into another plate of paste,” Devon quipped. He picked up his gear and led the way to the third level and the more expansive dorm room.
-30-
New Futures
Before the Spryte reached Triton, Jaktook was in the company of Rictook, Tacticnok, and the master advisors, including Roknick, to Jaktook’s disappointment.
At Rissness, Jaktook had played his copies of the cubes on the console and recorded the alpha dome’s events on a Jatouche device. They were being viewed in Rictook’s royal apartment.
“This was a foolish undertaking,” Roknick commented, during the initial viewing.
“Foolish would have been to fail to present the Tsargit with the proof they requested,” Tacticnok shot back. “Foolish would have been to remain ignorant of the Colony’s expansion to other worlds.” She’d kept her eye on her father’s hands, but they lay still on his lap.
Jaktook anticipated he would be required to stop and start the playback to answer questions. The reception was mixed — astonishment, curiosity, worry, and anger were evident.
At one point, Jaktook chose to freeze the display. “I respectfully request everyone take note of this image,” he said. “You’ve been viewing the platforms at alpha dome. It was named that by our Pyrean friends, as it was the first dome journeyed to after leaving the Colony dome.”
Jaktook used his device control to highlight platform three on the right. “This is the gate through which we arrived from the Colony’s dome.” Circling platform two, he added, “This is the gate by which we would leave to journey to beta dome.”
“What is the significance of this terminology?” Master Scientist Tiknock asked.
“A Pyrean engineer explained that it is an ancient Earth custom of naming things in sequence rather than using numerals,” Jaktook replied. “I thought it odd, but when we started referring to gates as alpha one, two, or three, it made sense to me.”
“There are crates and sentients on alpha one,” Pickcit, the master economist, exclaimed.
“Yes, there are,” Jaktook agreed. “As you watch the rest of the recorded information, you’ll witness the extent of the Colony’s operations.”
“How far do you think the Colony has penetrated in the direction of alpha one?” Rictook asked.
The ruler was normally silent during these types of meetings. It was his custom to listen to the interplay between the advisors and his daughter. That he was asking questions this early in the meeting indicated the subject’s seriousness.
“There’s no way of knowing, Your Excellency,” Jaktook replied. “However, there was no sign of the Colony’s activity past alpha gate two from which we journeyed.
“I require your estimation, Advisor,” Rictook replied.
It was not only a royal command, but Rictook had evoked Jaktook’s title. Half an annual ago, this kind of demand might have rattled Jaktook but facing the Colony sentients and striving to reach home again had hardened him. He organized his thoughts, not caring how long his audience waited. It was an important question that Rictook chose to ask.
“The Colony is intensely aggressive, as we’re all aware, Your Excellency,” Jaktook began. “I’m trying to imagine their reactions when they first ventured out through three of their gates and met the Norsitchians, the Veklocks, and the Jatouche.”
“And they were repulsed by every alliance member,” Tacticnok interjected.
“And rightfully so,” Roknick added. “They attacked us.”
Rictook’s fingers rose, and his audience quieted. Then a finger indicated Jaktook.
“My point is that a race, which met such defiance, would not take well to being denied three of their five gates,” Jaktook continued. “It’s my thought that they had explored all five of the gates in a short period. Colony gate one led to the alpha dome, which they found empty.”
“And domes beyond alpha,” Tiknock said.
“Welcoming domes, unlike those of the alliance members,” Jaktook agreed.
“You keep speaking as if the Colony had a right to attack us,” Roknick declared.
“And you speak from a lack of imagination, Master Roknick,” Jaktook shot back. “You weren’t on this exploration. You haven’t tried to understand the Colony’s motivation, which is the height of lunacy. While the alliance has ignored the Colony, choosing a defensive posture, these species focused their anger and drive to explore the domes of other worlds. Hear my words, Master Roknick. Someday, the Tsargit and every alliance race will face the Colony.”
“Not with the limited access of the gates,” Roknick riposted. He felt sure that he had the superior argument, despite Jaktook’s searing outburst.
“Your shortsightedness is amazing, Master Roknick,” Jaktook replied. “It’s obvious the Colony has a superior knowledge of the consoles compared to the alliance. They’ve already demonstrated that, and if it weren’t for the inventiveness of the Pyreans, you wouldn’t even be aware of the events I’m showing you. The Colony knows that the domes have limitations. What do you think they’re going to do about that?”
“There’s nothing they can do. They don’t know where the alliance domes sit within the galaxy,” Roknick replied smugly.
“I do. The Pyrean, Aurelia, showed us,” Jaktook replied. His lips rippled up, exposing his teeth in a manner of superiority. “If we know, there’s a good chance the Colony knows or will know someday. Given time, they might well be visiting alliance worlds in ships. Ships with weapons.”
The audience was stunned. Even Roknick, whose jaw hung open, was at a loss for words.
“What will the Tsargit hear from their delegate?” Rictook asked.
“My data is a copy of what Delegate Mangoth carries, Your Excellency,” Jaktook replied. “We had many evenings after our numerous journeys to discuss what we’d seen. The two of us came to the same conclusions. I’ve no doubt that Mangoth will be informing the Tsargit, as I’ve tried to do this group today.”
“The delegate’s delivery will cause consternation in the Tsargit,” Rictook commented. “But they won’t be quick to move on this, not that they ever had that capability.”
“Your Excellency,” Pickcit said, “I’d like to point out that Jaktook and Kractik’s efforts with the exploration party will draw favorable attention from the Tsargit to the Jatouche. Taken with the discovery of the Colony’s expansion and a dome’s star map, our race will certainly be elevated among the alliance members. It might even culminate in a seat on the Tsargit.”
“If these things come to pass, credit must be given to the one person who started us down this path,” Rictook said. His tired eyes shone with pride, as they settled on his daughter.
Tacticnok watched Jaktook turn to her and dip his head in obeisance, which she found embarrassing and irritating at the same time. She couldn’t imagine the dangers the explorers encountered or the depression they battled in their attempt to return home. If the two of them were alone, she would have been bowing to him. Honoring my mate, she thought, which stunned her.
“What of the Pyreans?” Rictook asked, switching subjects.
“In what manner do you ask, Your Excellency?” Jaktook asked.
When Rictook didn’t reply, Jaktook assumed it was an open question. “They were extraordinary, Your Excellency. They were never defeated by the obstacles we encountered. I saw Dillon Shaver defend his sibling and lose his life for his bravery. I saw two females stand with Kractik for hours on end to understand Messinants glyphs and solve one of the mysteries of the empty projections. Aurelia, the young empath, writes as the Messinants did, and the console accepted her glyphs. It resulted in the dome’s display of the star map, which we used to navigate home. Of all the races I’ve met, they’re the ones that I’d advise the Jatouche make allies.”
“I must ask,” Tacticnok interjected. “What was it like to journey with a Crocian?”
Jaktook’s head dipped, while he recalled the tumultuous moments with Mangoth. “I can say that the view from the top of a Crocian is an unusual perspective and to ride one’s shoulders and feel his power is unforgettable.”
“You rode a Crocian?” Rictook asked. His aging lips curled back, and he flashed his teeth. It was a rare expression from the ruler, during an audience.
Jaktook’s eyes displayed the mirth he felt. “All things considered, Your Excellency, Mangoth’s a most magnificent individual,” he said.
Despite the presence of two royal family members, Jaktook couldn’t help the wave of emotions that swept through him. The journey’s tensions had been with him for days and nights on end, and the subsequent relief of making it home was only beginning to be felt. One moment, he was laughing uncontrollably. Then he was hiccupping. Then he was ducking his head and hiding his eyes.
Roknick was aghast at the display, but he saw that the others were sympathetic to what Jaktook had endured and his need for a moment of release.
“I beg your pardon, Your Excellency,” Jaktook said, when he gained control.
