Alien Empire

by Anthony Gillis

  Tayyis bolted to attention at the sound of the alien name, the first of their words she’d heard.

  “For more than nine thousand of our years, we have travelled the stars, and rarely have we encountered a people of such promise. We have high hopes for you. Your civilization is very nearly ready to take its place among the great community. We are ready to guide you.”

  There were low gasps here and there in the crowd at the mention of nine thousand years.

  “There is much to be done. Your industries grow unsustainably, spreading pollution, we will show you how to make them clean. You are stalked by disease, and in some places hunger. We will teach you how we ended them, long ago, among ourselves, and how we learned to extend our life spans. You are troubled by war. We will help you lay down your arms and bring an end to it forever…”

  Neem glanced up. Harker whispered to him. “That sounded like the first item on the bill.”

  The ambassador continued “We are pleased to see that so many eminent scholars and leaders have been assembled to greet us, and in return have brought some of our own. They are respected experts in several fields, who have undergone training in this, your most widespread language, and who have come across the depths of space to speak with you. They will be at your disposal for the next several months, and others are on their way to follow. Even now, ships are being readied for the journey to your star system.”

  Karden eyed the figures in robes behind the ambassador. He thought this might prove interesting, though there was something all too familiar about the mention of others on their way, unasked.

  “In addition, we extend an invitation for a delegation of your dignitaries to visit our fleet, so that you may see firsthand what we are like, what we have achieved, and what we can teach you…”

  Another gasp emerged from the crowd.

  “Finally, we have information, far more than could be presented in a speech or by a small group of visitors. We have brought data projectors of our own design, filled with knowledge that we hope you will find both interesting and useful. They each contain the same set of information, and are quite simple to operate. Place them on any flat surface with a radius of about three standard measures of unobstructed space around it, and press the small knob in the center. They will project a three dimension image into the area above. Pressing the button again will stop the projection.”

  Tayyis noticed the use of the term “standard measures”. It was probably the greatest variation from common usage they’d made thus far. While technically correct since the measurement reforms of the previous century, in day to day practice everyone, even scientists, used the colloquial term “steps” borrowed from a similar measurement of the old system.

  One of the two figures in plain clothes stepped forward, carrying an open case of three small golden discs.

  “There is much more to be discussed, particularly matters of logistics, but that will best be done over time. We ask that you have your delegation ready in three of your days. We will shortly withdraw to our ship to give you time to study the discs, and to discuss matters among yourselves. In the interim, I defer now to President Vhel of the Republic of Tadine. Thank you.”

  The ambassador returned to his seat. A wave of humming applause rippled across the crowd, then quieted as the President cleared his voice to speak. He was prepared and had clearly been waiting for this moment. Karden eyed Tayyis, and looked at the others with resignation.

  The speech was long, far longer than the lofty but concise presentation of the alien ambassador. It was full of familiar platitudes about peace and cooperation. Some in the crowd listened respectfully, but Karden, Tayyis and their companions huddled together for conversation.

  “Well, that was efficient. They seem very good at adapting themselves to unfamiliar situations. We’re at a disadvantage even discounting the technology,” said Karden.

  “I don’t think so,” replied Harker. The others looked at him. “Notice they controlled the pace from beginning to end. That looked to me like something they’ve done a lot, and for a long time. Remember when I called it a sales pitch? That felt like a well practiced one. Notice they never gave us a chance to say no.”

  “Huh. Maybe we aren’t so special after all! Except in flavor,” snorted Jat.

  Karden gave him a baleful glance. “Darex, that line of jokes might be getting old.”

  Jat looked surprised. “Jokes get old?”

  Tayyis was looking over at the shuttle, and the golden discs.

  “Still, that Ambassador of theirs, Margaux,” she pronounced the name almost as the ambassador himself had, “is a gifted linguist. His vocabulary, sentence structure, even cadence, all indicated he’s put a lot of study into our language. Putting in that kind of effort, and the time it would have required, says something about them.”

  “Whatever they are up to,” she continued, “I can’t imagine it is going to amount to some sudden trap. If it were, why bother with all that study of us? It will be immensely valuable to see what is on those discs, and to meet their scholars, who at least sound like they might be counterparts to ourselves. There will be more information obtainable than they intend to give.”

  Thoughts had been racing unpredictably through Karden’s mind. One popped to the surface. “What makes you think the Ambassador is a male?”

  “I’ve been watching them,” said Tayyis mildly. “Notice they vary in size much as we do. Some of them, especially the shorter ones, have rounded hips and smaller upper bodies, like our women, like me. I think they bear live young, like we do here. If I’m right, it is true that their genders differ from each other a lot less visibly than ours do, but they have them, and along lines we can recognize. The Ambassador is tall, even for one of them, and his frame, well, looks male.”

  Karden mused on what she’d said. “They might have children out there somewhere. Children they love. It might mitigate the idea of them as monsters. Then again, the aggressor nations in every one of our wars had children, and many of those nations did monstrous things.”

  “I think the President is wrapping up his speech” interjected Harker.

  It sounded like President Vhel had been agreeing in a general way with what the Ambassador had said, without exactly promising anything on the larger issues. He committed wholeheartedly to the exchange of delegations, and concluded his speech with a few more lofty platitudes. A hum of applause again swept the crowd. This time, the aliens joined in with what must be their own form of it. They rhythmically clapped their broad hands together, producing a sharp sound.

  The alien carrying the case of discs, Karden decided that he was a male and his plainer clothes meant he was an assistant or staffer, walked slowly forward to the podium where the President stood. Soldiers parted. He presented it, snapping to a stiff standing posture as he did so. The Chief of Staff stepped forward. He was a tall and heavily built man, but nonetheless looked small compared to the hulking alien. He accepted the case from him, and it was done.

  The alien returned to the others. They had been waiting there in formation with impassive patience. When regrouped, they marched slowly and grandly back into their ship, in exactly the reverse order they had left it. The shuttle seemed to need little time to prepare for takeoff, and was soon floating gracefully, with but the slightest hum, back into the sky.

  Neem turned his attention from his notepad again, and poured an enthusiastic stream of commentary “See that! They were ready to go in as much time as it must have taken all of them to return to their seats! We don’t have a commercial airliner in the world that could do that! Their engineering, the maturity of their technology, is just amazing!”

  Karden had many things on his mind, few of them good, and at the moment, the beauty of the alien technology was the least of them.

  7

  With the departure of the aliens, the crowd dissolved into a whirl of conversation. Conference attendees, officials, military officers, and inevitably, journalists swarmed around the President and hi
s senior leadership.

  “It occurs to me,” said Karden “that almost everyone else wants to see those discs as much as we do. There will be a waiting list.”

  “We’ve only got three days until the aliens want to see our delegation,” added Tayyis, “it would be a good idea to have a look at them before then if we want to add anything of value.”

  “Or go on the delegation!” blurted Neem.

  Karden looked skeptical. “Unfortunately, access to the discs will be seen as a prize to be dealt out to the favored and famous, and membership in the delegation even more so.”

  Jat gave them a wicked, lopsided grin. “You forget who you have with you. Fame is annoying. Every once in a while, useful. I’ll talk to them. No time to waste!”

  And without another word, he was off.

  Jat made his way through the crowd. Instead of avoiding reporters, as Karden would have, he sought them out, used them to build attention. In reply to their questions, he gave a mixture of technical answers that went over their heads but which they dared not ignore, his trademark odd cutting remarks, and hints that he had important answers for the President.

  Soon, a crowd was following him, and voices were calling out “Darex Jat!” and “Professor Jat!” while others murmured about what he might have to say to the President. The officials on the podium stage could not help but notice.

  Security around the President and the senior officials was tighter than normal, but the arrival of Darex Jat at the head of a large swarm of reporters, scientists, and minor officials threw them into some confusion. The Chief of Staff threaded his way out through the cordon.

  “Professor Jat, as you can see, we’re under some time constraints right now. How can I help you?”

  “We have three days before the delegation to visit the aliens.”

  “Yes, they will visit the Elders in three days time.”

  “I have important analysis for the President. It should be discussed before they go.”

  “You can present it to me now, and I’ll make sure he gets it.”

  “Not the right time or place. You wouldn’t understand what I’m saying anyway. Need time to prepare for laymen. Also…”

  “Yes?”

  “I need to review those discs. Soon. The next three days when it counts”

  “We haven’t even started drawing up the list for that yet.”

  “You know I’ll be on it.”

  “Almost certainly, Professor.”

  “So why waste time?”

  The crowd, the officials, and journalists from half the major news outlets in the world were watching the Chief of Staff. He looked them over, their expectant faces. He looked at Jat, paused, and wheels seemed to turn in his head. Suddenly springing to motion, he took Jat by the shoulder in a friendly way, and waved to the crowd.

  “Everyone, we want to learn as much as we can, as soon as we can about our new friends, the Elders, and we want to make the most brilliant possible impression on them! You can rest easy now, knowing Professor Jat is on the job!”

  He guided Jat through security to the President.

  Emder Vhel, President of the Republic of Tadine, the largest and strongest nation of the world known to its inhabitants as Ground, was not a particularly scientifically literate man, but even he knew who Darex Jat was, and how useful he could be.

  “Ah, hmm, Wimier, I see you’ve brought Professor Jat! And you, professor, good to meet you at last!”

  The Chief of Staff composed himself. “Sir, we’re in luck! Professor Jat has volunteered to be part of the first team to review the discs, and to join the delegation to the Elder starship.”

  The President beamed in his vague lofty way. Jat started in shock. Flying into the upper atmosphere had never been among his goals in life, least of all now.

  “Oh don’t think you’re getting out of this one,” said Wimier quietly to him, with something that passed for a smile.

  To the President, and much more loudly, he said, “Sir, if I may, I’ll get it arranged.”

  “Why of course Mr. Wimier, and thank you for your promptness, as you can see I have diplomatic matters to discuss.” And the President turned back to his conversation with a group of foreign dignitaries.

  Jat was, for once, almost at a loss for words. He sputtered as Wimier pulled him aside.

  “What do you mean? Delegation to the starship! I didn’t say that.”

  “Professor, do you think I’d cut you straight to the very front of the line, a line a tremendous number of people will be asking to join, just to gratify your curiosity or ego, without expecting something useful from you in return? And…” his voice lowered, “Let me be frank. The majority of people who see those discs, and who board that ship, regardless of what either of them contain, will be politicians and diplomats who will have no idea what they’re looking at. You might.”

  Jat flailed for a retort. “True, but I’m not going to be your errand boy, make you look good, make the President look good, or whatever…”

  Wimier pulled Jat further from the rest of the officials, and dropped his voice to a quiet hiss. “That isn’t what I meant. This is deadly serious Jat. You see those ships, their weapons? I hope, as much as the President, as much as the Councilors and the Senators, that these Elders are as friendly as they seem, I really do. But if they aren’t… we need to have options.”

  “I read the reports from earlier today. I realize that you, Mr. Harker, Professor Karden, and the other two who I’m unfamiliar with, probably think we’re just sitting around and hoping for the best. In a sense, you might be right… but at the moment we don’t have much information to go on.”

  “Right now, the Elders are acting friendly, and so long as we’re friendly too, perhaps they’ll stay that way. But even if relations remain peaceful for as long as we live, I’ve considered what statements like guiding us, or us laying down our arms, might eventually mean.”

  “Those of us in government are even now coming under close scrutiny, by the public, by each other, and I’m sure by the Elders. We have to be very, very careful. But you, Professor, however famous, are still a private citizen. You won’t be as restricted, and you already have a reputation for, if you’ll forgive me, eccentric independence. People won’t be surprised at whatever you do.”

  “Look, I’m not asking you to spy for, or report to me. It isn’t my job, and I need to stay out of it. Clandestine muddling would blow up in all our faces. All I ask of you is that you give me your word that if I make this happen, you don’t treat it as a joyride or a publicity stunt, that you make good use of your time, and… see what you can come up with.”

  Jat became unusually serious, and put aside both bravado and thoughts of flying. Whatever he had expected from the President’s longtime Chief of Staff, it wasn’t this.

  “All right, I’ll take that deal, on one condition.”

  Wimier looked at him sharply.

  “I get to pick a team, four or five others, to join me studying the discs. Visiting the ship.”

  “On the discs, done,” replied Wimier, “Can’t do on the ship. The delegation will be small and there will be too few spots free.”

  “How about one then?”

  “Very well, done.”

  Jat returned to his companions. They looked at him expectantly.

  “We’re in. Also, that delegation in three days, team bite size snack. I’m on it.”

  8

  The return to the hotel was a blur, as were the next few hours of hastily made arrangements. A hurried meal was followed by a mostly sleepless night. Jat had no trouble picking his team, and Karden, Tayyis, Neem and Harker made ready for a long day.

  In the morning the first review of the discs was to begin. They had been distributed for viewing to three different secure locations in the Capital complex. Some foreign governments objected to the location, and preferred World Hall, at the headquarters of the Conference of Nations, in the International Zone, far to the south. However the government o
f Tadine was taking no chances, and there was no time to spare.

  Over breakfast, they watched the news. The benevolent words of the aliens had caused an immense stir around the world. Crowds gathered to celebrate in major cities. The leaders of nations wondered what it might mean to them, and sent their diplomats to discuss. Sites were springing up on the net prophesying the dawn of a new golden age. Others conjured up images of lies and dark conspiracies by the hideous creatures from space, and predicted the end of the world.

  The companions called for their car. Their disc was not in the Capital center itself, with its fluted vaults and tapering spires, but far beneath a squat gray administrative building. They quickly passed through security at the entrance and at another checkpoint three levels underground. Huge, double steel doors opened upon a brightly lit room.

  Karden looked about him. “I can understand concerns about security, but given how fortified it is down here, they apparently expect these things to explode when activated.”

  One of the discs was placed on a table at the center of the room. Rings of tables and seats surrounded it.

  Neem smiled. “Looks like we’ve beaten the crowd, let’s get grab spots right in the middle!”

  An official was near the entrance, flanked by a pair of armed guards.

  “Professor Jat! Welcome!” he said “it is our honor to provide you with the use of this space for the next twenty hours, prior to the arrival of the other attendees. Is this your team?”

  Jat nodded.

  “Now, if all of you could come forward with ID, so that we can match against the names given by Professor Jat, and… ah, Professor, I see that one must be missing.”

  Two thoughts flashed through Karden’s mind. The first was mildly irksome, if understandable - they had apparently become Jat’s team. The second was mystifying… one missing?