Earthers

by S. H. Jucha

  “Can the body make the decision about implants for Commander Menous and the brassards?” Alex pressed.

  Julien gave Alex a perfect imitation of the man’s shrug, and Renée laughed. Then he said, “We do have one name ... Nemanous. He is or was the Planetary Defense minister.”

  * * * * *

  The Norsitchians happily welcomed the Omnians. Messages had reached the population that other domes and planets had been recovered.

  More important, not a single red or gray adult had been seen on the planet in a long while.

  Raptor watchers noted that sotters, the night flyers, had abandoned their concentrations. They were dispersing, having depleted their abundant and easily obtainable food source — the insectoid juveniles.

  When Alex and company landed, they were met by a congregation, but behind those individuals was a huge throng of cheering Norsitchians.

  The exchange of introductions was an extended affair. The fifty-three individuals in the welcoming committee insisted on speaking their names, their titles, and explaining their duties.

  Alex remarked privately to Renée.

  Renée replied.

  Alex replied.

  Renée sent, not knowing the Omnians were to be disappointed.

  The Omnians chatted, while the introductions dragged on. When the final Norsitchian had spoken, Alex and the others were led to a nearby building. Inside, rows of three-sided cubicles climbed high, and the open side of each cubicle faced a dais.

  Renée sent to Alex, when she saw the number of Norsitchians who waited for them.

  Seats on the dais were provided for Alex, Renée, and Julien. Z and Miranda assumed protective stances behind their charges.

  Several elder Norsitchians assembled on the dais with the Omnians. They took turns at a central podium and waxed lyrically about the strides made against the Colony by the planet’s stalwart troops.

  As time wore on, Alex slowly lost his patience. The Omnians had been on the planet for more than two hours, and they still didn’t know which individuals were the planet’s ultimate authorities.

  Alex sent.

  The blare of trumpets, which had heralded the authoritarian figures of ancient Rome, echoed up the rows of the collective.

  Into the gallery’s stunned silence, Alex stepped to the podium, and an elder Norsitchian gave way.

  “The brassards, which are doing a marvelous job for the alliance, deserve your every word of praise,” Alex said, which garnered a round of raucous barks.

  “However, we’ve discovered that they’re being poorly utilized, which I’m sure pains you as much as it does us,” Alex continued. This comment generated moans and a few howls.

  “However, we have the means to make each Norsitchian trooper more powerful,” Alex said. “They’ve an opportunity to lead teams of shadows.”

  On cue, Julien activated his holo-vid, and the gallery and the dais witnessed the veterans hunting with shadows. When the insectoids attacked, the shadows burned holes in the adults’ heads, and the Norsitchians barked in celebration.

  “The human leader of the veterans is Captain Cinders, who helped free your planet,” Alex said. “He directs the shadows through a tiny device in his brain. The veterans of the war against the Colony have extraordinary experience that must be maximized. Now, other veterans ... another Pyrean, a Jatouche, and two Crocians, carry the devices, which are called implants.”

  Alex waited while the audience digested what he’d said.

  “These devices allow the sharing of thoughts and so much more,” Alex continued. “All Omnian adults possess one. We came to Norsitchia seeking permission to offer implants to Commander Menous and his brassards. Who can make that decision?”

  An elderly Norsitchian left his dais chair and approached Alex. At the podium, he said, “This enclave decides whether to grant the permission you seek, Leader Racine. We’ll require more information from you and time to make our choice.”

  “How much time?” Alex asked.

  “Much depends on the complexity of the subject,” the Norsitchian said. “In this case, I expect the exchange and deliberation to be longer than most, but our efforts should conclude within an annual.”

  Alex exerted considerable effort to keep his mouth from falling open. When he recovered, he turned to the audience and said, “We thank you for the courtesy of your welcome, and I withdraw our request. Your troops will have to fight in the old way.”

  Then the Omnians exited the enclave to the Norsitchians’ moans and howls.

  Seated in the traveler and making for the Rêveur, Alex shook his head in wonder. “A monarch of one race makes a decision in less than a cycle, and an enclave of another race wants to debate the decision for an annual. I’m beginning to understand the frustration of the younger alliance races.”

  Captain Lumley had only to take one look at Alex’s and Renée’s faces to know they weren’t successful. “Where to next?” he asked.

  “I didn’t listen to Cordelia’s message, Francis,” Alex replied. “I was addressing the Norsitchian cooperative.”

  “Her message was lengthy, Alex, but the gist of it was that the veterans finished at Zista,” Francis said. “After Captain Cinders replaced some of the Zistarians’ spearguns with Loopah weapons, the citizens were of enormous help.”

  “Spearguns,” Renée said incredulously. “One of these times we’re going to find some early sentient race throwing rocks at the insectoids.”

  “I suppose the Freedom is sailing for Pimbor,” Alex said.

  “Yes,” Francis replied. “The SADEs calculate that the fleet should be at Pimbor about eight days ahead of us.”

  “Julien, what are the statuses of the commands?” Alex asked.

  The SADEs in each command were sending updates after each transit in and out of a system, building a compendium of the stars and their worlds in alliance space.

  “Most are thirty to thirty-five percent through the sections they’re tasked to search,” Julien said. “However, as their search cone widens, their progress will be slowed by the increasing number of stars and the extended sailing time. It’s anticipated that the admirals will disperse their commands to accelerate their progress. Although, Reiko and Lucia, with their Earther ships, might be loath to replicate that process.”

  “That means we’ll be on our own for a while,” Alex said. “Can’t be helped. Let’s hope Mickey and his teams have been busy.”

  8: The Commands

  Reiko’s command eliminated another ring, and they destroyed a Colony’s shuttle nestled in its launch tube at the dome.

  In the present system, they’d sailed toward the planet to burn the transports. Per Reiko’s orders, the Tridents attacked in formation, and the fighters swept in and turned the debris into space dust.

  “Telemetry can’t identify any structures on this side of the planet, Admiral,” Senior Captain Gordon Munford said.

  “We need a complete picture of the planet’s status, Captain,” Reiko said.

  “Understood, Admiral,” Gordon replied. “I’ll assign routes to the command, which will ensure we cover the planet’s surface.”

  “Make sure you do,” Reiko replied.

  Reiko knew she sounded harsh, but she’d been handed one of the two Earther commands. In Reiko’s estimation, Sol’s president, Nikki Fowler, had made a grievous error. The Tridents should have been crewed by a mix of Earthers and Omnians. That would have allowed the Earthers to quickly learn the Omnian style of command organization and operation.

  As an example, Captain Munford, who had been one of the selected senior captains and the son of Elbert Munford, the prior president, should have waited until the Tridents had covered the planet before he reported the la
ck of evidence of a civilization.

  To Reiko’s irritation, the captains didn’t respond to her directives with the alacrity and thoroughness that she’d come to expect from Omnians. In her opinion, the fighter pilots weren’t much better. They were adequate flyers, but they were too busy enjoying their crafts’ capabilities to complete their assignments in a professional manner.

  In these moments, Reiko had the feeling that her time with the Omnians was a dream, and she’d never left United Earth’s naval forces.

  It had become Reiko’s habit to hold after-action conferences with the captains. She should have been having these discussions with commodores, but she’d not found anyone in her command worthy of promotion.

  “Could one of you tell me what this pilot is doing?” Reiko asked. Her Trident’s holo-vid was linked to the other ships.

  When there was no answer, Reiko added, “Captain Flannery, this was your pilot.”

  Reiko replayed the segment to give the captain time to devise a response. The vid showed a fighter closing in on a transport that had yet to be destroyed by a Trident. On approach, the pilot was executing balletic movements, spinning and looping his ship.

  After the vid finished, Captain Flannery said, “The transports have proven to be empty, to be abandoned, Admiral.”

  “That’s an assumption on your part and your pilots, Captain,” Reiko replied. “Haven’t you been repeatedly warned that the Colony is constantly devising new schemes against us? This pilot disobeyed my attack orders. There’s a reason that I direct the Tridents to fire first on the transports and to do it from maximum range. What if the transport had been weapons crewed or contained explosive material?”

  “That seems highly unlikely, Admiral,” Flannery returned.

  For the hundredth or more time, Reiko wished she was aboard the Freedom.

  Opting to use peer pressure, Reiko asked, “Does any other captain believe I’m being too critical?”

  Unfortunately, silence didn’t work in Reiko’s favor. The others neither agreed nor disagreed with Captain Flannery.

  “Resume operations,” Reiko said perfunctorily, ending the conference call.

  Winona sent. She was the SADE assigned to Reiko’s command.

  Reiko said. It was meant to be a rhetorical remark, and she was surprised when Winona answered it.

  Winona sent,

  Reiko listened to Winona. Then she waited for the Tridents to complete their mapping of the planet. The scans showed no indications of structures built by a sentient population. So, she chose to put Winona’s suggestion into practice.

  Hours later, a traveler descended through the planet’s atmosphere and landed at the site of a Colony shuttle. Armed with Loopah weapons and one plasma rifle, a security team streamed out of the ship. Then Reiko led the Trident captains off the traveler.

  Security regarded Reiko with concerned expressions.

  “Don’t look at me,” Reiko said authoritatively to the Earther security detail. “Go find us some insectoids.”

  This was the essence of Winona’s plan. Reiko was providing the captains an opportunity to encounter the enemy.

  While they waited for security to scout the area, Reiko wondered if the captains’ worried faces resembled her own.

  When Reiko had questioned the sanity of Winona’s suggestion, the SADE had responded,

  Shouts from security and a wave of arms indicated the finding of a trail.

  Reiko shook her head in amazement. Their ship’s landing had been silent. Now, security was yelling across the charred clearing. Nothing like announcing our presence, she thought.

  Security led the way through tall grass, which grew high above their heads. Reiko realized they’d never see an ambush coming, and she stopped and split the security team in half to cover the group’s front and rear.

  Fortunately, the insectoids didn’t prefer the tall grass any more than Reiko’s party did. The thick vegetation gave way to a small stagnant pond. It filled a rocky hollow. Security personnel halted and nervously fingered their weapons.

  Reiko sent in the open. When security glanced at her, she shooed them on with a wave of her fingers. It reminded her of her mother telling the kids to go out and play.

  An enterprising Earther chose to circle the pond to the left, and everyone followed. On the far side, the trail continued into the tall grass.

  Eventually, the narrow defile of thick vegetation opened onto a marsh, and the trail skirted the brackish water. Once again, security hesitated, and Reiko urged them on.

  Several captains thought to object to the entire event, but one look at the admiral’s determined face kept them quiet.

  After three kilometers, the path turned inland, and the group passed through a long grove of stunted gnarled trees.

  When the trail led through a narrow opening separating two stone uplifts, Reiko decided that to continue along the route was too risky. The terrain was now favoring the insectoids. She called a halt to the trip, and captains and security gratefully reversed course.

  The ambush came alongside the marsh.

  Reiko’s group had their backs against the thick reeds and murky water.

  Reds and grays rushed from the thick grass and caught Reiko and the Earthers unawares.

  Having learned from Jess, Reiko had drilled the preparation basics into the captains and the security team.

  Loopah weapons weren’t slung. They were held at the ready. Breeches held darts, and the plasma rifle was powered.

  The Earthers freaked at the Colony’s attack, and they poured fire at the insectoids.

  The seven adult insectoids faced tens of Loopah weapons spitting hundreds of darts.

  The plasma rifle bearer did have enough sense to hold fire. Otherwise, he’d have ignited the kilometers of dried grass and blocked the path to the ship.

  Within moments, Reiko was sending an urgent message to cease fire. She was forced to yell to get reactions.

  The reds and the grays had been chopped into chunks. In the aftermath, more than one Earther was gagging at the sight and smell.

  Now, the captains and the security team, who’d been complacently trooping along the trail, were nervously eyeing the grass, the path in both directions, and the marsh.

  Reiko regarded her people and waited. Hands were tightly locked on weapons. Obviously, the brains weren’t engaged. “Change drums,” she ordered, which galvanized those with Loopah weapons. They had enough presence of mind to check the breeches for darts.

  The remainder of the trip to the traveler was uneventful, unless the elevated pulses and the furtive glances were counted.

  Aboard the shuttle, Reiko faced the Earthers and asked, “What did you learn?”

  “They’re devious,” a security team member called out.

  “They waited until we passed. Then they attacked us on our return,” a captain elaborated.

  “They intended to catch us off guard,” another said.

  “Now, consider the possibilities that your weapons had been slung, or your breeches had been empty,” Reiko offered. “My congratulations to Jameson for holding plasma fire. I didn’t embrace the idea of being roasted alive in a wildfire.”

  “I think you’ve made your point, Admiral,” Senior Captain Gordon Munford said. “Whether planetside or in space, if we let our guard down, we give the advantage to the insectoids.”

  To a person, the captains and the security team nodded their heads in agreement.

  “And the Colony will gladly take it,” Reiko ended, before she sat down. She slowly exhaled. The attack had scared her as much as it did the Earthers. She
had no idea how the veterans faced the insectoids time and time again, and she couldn’t wait to return to the safety of her Trident.

  * * * * *

  Lucia’s situation was similar to Reiko’s. Her command also comprised Earthers. However, her early experience with Oleg and his captains had prepared her for the new crews’ state of readiness, or rather their lack of it. She did have one asset. She was aboard the OS Judgment, which was crewed by Omnians. Lucia believed there was time to develop the command into an effective force.

  The Tridents had probed stars along their section of the SADEs’ sphere. Briefly, the captains had checked dead systems. They investigated systems with habitable planets, which had no domes.

  Where a dome was found, they identified whether there was Colony movement through the dome.

  The search was proceeding normally, and Lucia believed it might be safe to assign stars to individual captains and hasten the search.

  In the next system, the command encountered their first ring. The fleet held back, while a pilot prosecuted the ring’s power supply. As expected, the ring detonated. The traveler was unscathed, and the dome absorbed its share of energy.

  “Admiral, telemetry indicates this infestation is recent,” Orbit, the SADE, said. “Only six transports are visible from this view of the planet.”

  Lucia ordered six Trident captains to offload their fighters. Their warships were to blast the transports, and their fighters were to burn the debris.

  There followed the command’s first tragedy, although there was a fortunate incident that prevented it from becoming worse.

  An anxious Trident captain failed to execute the attack formation that had been ordered. Instead, he launched his Trident early and swept close to the targeted Colony transport. The warship’s twin beams raked the ship’s supposedly empty hull.

  Then the transport detonated in a horrendous blast of energy and metal, throwing hot shrapnel in all directions.

  The Trident’s port outrigger shell was pierced in many places, and banks of power crystals were penetrated. When the outrigger exploded, the central hull was torn to shreds, and the ship blew in a wave of fierce energy and hundreds of thousands of small pieces.