by S. H. Jucha
Just then, Jess and Lucia heard a cacophony of Dischnya howls, Norsitchian barks, and Sylian yowls.
Lucia regarded Jess’s wistful expression. “You want to be there, don’t you?” she asked.
“Yes and no,” Jess replied. “The party sounds great, and the veterans deserve to celebrate. But you and I have a bigger job. That’s something Alex has taught me. Besides,” he added, leaning over and tenderly kissing Lucia, “you and I will have many more opportunities to dance together.”
* * * * *
Before dawn’s break, Homsaff communicated to Alex and Jess that elders from the participating villages had arrived at the encampment. She’d recorded their requests, and Julien translated it as the elders wished to address the veterans and their leaders.
Alex quickly organized a small group to drop planetside. The star was peeking above the horizon by the time the traveler settled among the veterans’ ships.
“Doesn’t look like there was any reason to hurry,” Renée commented, as she gazed around.
Village females were attending to the hunters, who seemed sorely in need of a little care. Even the few veterans who had made appearances were bleary-eyed and sluggish.
Jess and Lucia ran into Aputi first. The big man sat on a traveler’s ramp. He alternated between rubbing his temple and sipping on a caf.
“A good night?” Jess asked.
“Epic,” Aputi replied halfheartedly, and Lucia chuckled.
Hessan stepped from his traveler. He tipped his muzzle to the sky and yawned, exposing long rows of sharp teeth. When he finished, he dropped his head, blinked, and focused on a grinning Alex, who stood in front of him.
“The local brew tends to sneak up on you,” Hessan admitted.
“I bet it does,” Alex replied. Then Renée and he moved past the Dischnya squad leader.
Julien headed to the village. The traveler’s sensors indicated a number of the Ot-Totlanyans were meeting there.
“Julien,” Tsotsia greeted the SADE. “Are the leaders with you?”
“They are,” Julien replied.
The newly arrived elders murmured among themselves when they heard the Ot-Totlanyan tongue issue from Julien’s mouth.
“If you would assemble the leaders of your sky boats?” Tsotsia requested, tapping his temple.
“It’s done, Tsotsia. Although, I think it will take a few moments to collect our hunters,” Julien replied.
“It was good to see their participation in the celebration,” Tsotsia said, with a grin. “Even the elders danced, but then we’re accustomed to our drink.”
Julien chatted with the new elders. When he received Alex’s notice that the veteran leaders had been organized, he informed Tsotsia.
“Good,” Tsotsia replied. “Come, Julien. We seek to honor them in the encampment. Our hunters will want to witness this.”
As the elders trooped through the gates of the village’s enclosure, the local hunters hurriedly finished pulling themselves together. They dressed and then snatched their weapons.
The elders walked toward the veteran leaders, whom Alex had arranged in a row.
Tsotsia cackled at the sight of the veterans and commented.
Julien offered a translation. “Tsotsia appreciates that you chose to join in the festivities, and he apologizes for the aftereffects of their drink.”
Another elder spoke, and Julien said, “A council of the elders has met, and they’ve elected to offer tokens of appreciation to the visiting commanders.”
The line of Homsaff, Simlan, Hessan, Menous, Tacnock, Aputi, and Sylian commanders straightened.
Elders stepped forward and draped polished stone carvings, which hung on thongs, around the necks of the veterans. When each elder finished, they clasped the shoulders of the honored individual and touched foreheads.
“Julien, our metal being friend,” Tsotsia said. “This is for you.” Then the elder bestowed a beaten silver figure around the SADE’s neck. When foreheads were touched, Tsotsia held the position for a few moments.
Handing a second silver figure to Julien, Tsotsia added, “And this is for the first one of your kind to set foot on our land.”
“Orbit will appreciate the gesture,” Julien replied. He’d offered the opportunity to Orbit to join the occasion, but his fellow SADE had politely demurred.
Two elders approached Alex and Renée. They indicated the couple’s right hands. When they were extended, bracelets of green stones, strung on thongs, were tied around the wrists. Shoulders and heads were touched in appreciation.
Julien translated for the elders. “Alex and Renée, you’re thanked by the elders for carrying across the sky the brave individuals assembled here today, who returned their world to them from the invaders.”
As the elders returned to the assembly, Julien said, “Admiral and Captain, you’re next.”
Tsotsia stood in front of Lucia and Jess. As he spoke, Julien shared the words. “There are no gifts of honor for your necks or arms that demonstrate our appreciation,” he said. “Instead, we offer the greatest thing of value we possess. We welcome you into our villages as Ot-Totlanyans. Whenever you visit, you may request anything of us.”
Lucia and Jess were greeted by each elder in the traditional manner.
Then, in unison, the hunters raised a shout. It repeated several times. When it ended, they gathered their packs, slung them over their shoulders, raised their weapons to the veterans, and headed for home. Each group was accompanied by their village elders.
Then Tsotsia spoke to Julien, who said, “Admiral, Captain, you’re invited to sit with the elders, as you did before.”
With the ceremonies concluded, travelers collected the veterans and Omnians, except for Jess, Lucia, and Julien, and made for the Freedom.
* * * * *
After the veterans returned to the city-ship, they were often seen in and around the parks, enjoying the eateries, lying in the grass, or watching the fish and the birds.
Alex waited a few days before he called a meeting of key individuals. “I’d like an analysis of the dome encounter,” he requested.
Jess turned toward Z and Miranda, who occupied positions near the room’s entrance
“The Colony’s weapon is crude but effective,” Z explained. “The imagery from the shadows, the admiral, and the captain completes a picture of what an assault team would face.”
“The weapon is an energy disruptor,” Miranda added. “It’s not finely focused. Instead it throws a field in front of the wielder.”
“Recharge is slow, but the field packs appear heavy, which would allow for many charges,” Z continued. “The insectoids rely on numbers to create a wide dispersal pattern.”
“What about its effectiveness?” Tatia asked.
“A shadow absorbed a charge for five point eight seconds before it failed,” Miranda replied. “A biological would succumb in a much shorter time from interruption of the nervous system.”
“Meaning brain and heart functions would fail,” Renée clarified.
“Precisely, Ser,” Miranda replied.
“How many reds were eliminated?” Reiko inquired.
“Eighteen,” Z replied. “It should be noted that the admiral’s recordings showed a tunnel full of reds. The count reached a hundred and two before further details were indeterminable.”
Jess and Lucia had studied and pondered the recordings for day
s. The task of taking the dome appeared daunting, if not impossible.
Lucia was haunted by the image of the defunct shadow lying on the deck with its legs curled inward. In a terrible nightmare, the shadow morphed into Jess, and she’d startled awake and covered in sweat.
“Captain, thoughts?” Alex requested.
Jess gazed at the expectant faces. He managed to slowly shake his head and shrug.
“Allow me to translate,” Lucia said, arching an eyebrow toward Julien, which generated some chuckles and lighthearted laughter. “We don’t see a way to take the dome without using a large number of shadows. Certainly, no biological can enter the fray. The issue is that Jess is loath to pass up the opportunity to try.”
“Understandable,” Alex said sympathetically. “Jess has taken every planet and dome that he’s encountered. However, that’s not to say that every future dome and planet should be taken.”
“We concur,” Z said. “As the captain rightfully predicted, the Colony is escalating tactics and weaponry. Presumably, the insectoids will continue to do this, and we should be doing the same.”
“How?” Jess asked.
“Our combined fleets should focus on the transports,” Miranda replied. “Most of them were left in place after the loss of the three Tridents. With the carrier rail guns, we’ll possess a safe means of eliminating them.”
“If we hurry,” Lucia interjected quietly.
“Agreed, Admiral. Time is of the essence, as we expect the Colony to adapt tactics,” Miranda responded.
“First the transports, Captain,” Z said. “Then the veterans and shadows focus on clearing the planets. That’s where you’ll be most effective.”
“Are you suggesting we ignore the domes?” Jess asked incredulously.
“We’re suggesting the veteran forces ignore the domes, Captain,” Miranda replied. “Leave the domes to us.”
“Us?” Jess queried.
“The SADEs,” Julien replied. “We believe the key to halting the spread of the Colony through the Messinants network is by controlling the domes. Specifically, by selectively interrupting gate journeys.”
Eyes shifted from Julien to Alex, whose expression remained neutral. That told everyone that he knew what was coming and chose not to offer his opinion.
“How do you intend to discover this?” Lucia asked.
“The captain and you have created an exemplary opportunity for us,” Julien replied. “In pushing the insectoids down line from Dontot, you’ve left two non-alliance domes available to us.”
“You intend to use the Q-gates that link those two domes to discover a means of remotely controlling the gates,” Jess reasoned.
“Precisely, Captain,” Julien replied. “We’ll have two domes, with shared gates, at our complete disposal. It will allow us to investigate the deeper console programming that the Messinants embedded.”
“You’re confident that this strategy will succeed?” Jess inquired. Silence greeted his question. He gazed at the faces. The SADEs quietly stared back, but some of the Omnian humans twisted lips to keep from smiling or even grinning.
“Foolish question?” Jess asked.
Lucia reached out and covered Jess’s hand. “Yes,” she said softly.
“Dear Captain,” Miranda said. “If we had DNA, you could say we were coded and hardwired not to fail.”
Miranda’s quip comparing human genetics to a SADE’s composition had the Omnians laughing. Even Jess had to grin and nod his head.
“As it is, Captain,” Z added, “all we require is perseverance, which is a native talent of SADEs. It’s inevitable that we’ll unravel the skillful engineering secrets of the Messinants.”
“How far do you intend to go?” Lucia asked.
“Our immediate goal is to gain control of any gate on the network that we choose,” Z replied. “With that capability, we can halt the Colony’s expansion through non-alliance domes. In addition, we can selectively terminate the insectoids’ use of gates within alliance domes they might overtake.”
“That will trap the insectoids within the domes,” Tatia pointed out.
“It might, Admiral,” Miranda replied. “Although, we’ll try to drive the insectoids from domes by blocking certain gates and leaving others available. If the Colony realizes what we’re doing, the members might evacuate the domes we target. If not, then the insectoids will be trapped.”
“We see three phases in the operation to deter the Colony,” Z continued. “The admirals in concert with the veterans will take back the planets. The SADEs will find the means to halt the Colony’s spread and isolate the race.”
“And the third phase?” queried Tatia, when Z paused.
“No plan is perfect,” Z replied deadpan.
Jess was the first to laugh. He smacked the table and declared, “Good one, Z!”
When the laughter died down, Alex said, “The final phase will require close-in observation of the domes. The veterans can take the domes in the traditional manner where insectoids are seen carrying slug throwers. If reds are spotted with disruptors, it will take some time for our engineering teams to provide the veterans with advantages.”
“There’s always the option of ignoring the insectoids in non-alliance domes who possess disruptors,” Reiko said. “I know it sounds cold, leaving them to die of boredom, internal conflict, or old age. But isn’t that better than losing our individuals in the fights?”
Jess was conflicted about leaving the insectoids to suffer long, protracted deaths. As his long-time adversaries, he thought they deserved a more fitting ending — a chance to fight. However, one part of Reiko’s remark had energized him. She’d said our individuals, when speaking of the veterans — a mix of alliance members and Lucia. It felt good to be adopted by the Omnians.
“Personally, I’m hoping to make use of some of Mickey’s concoctions,” Jess said, reminding the group of the nanites. “We planned to use the nanotechnology on the Colony’s shuttles on the planets and in the launch tubes, although, in the latter situation, we have to find a way to deliver that iteration in a vacuum. Why wouldn’t a version work on the Colony weapons’ metal parts? I don’t think the insectoids would even know what had dissolved their rifles and energy packs.”
28: Outpost
Immediately, Celsius sent a message to the Freedom and shared the news with the SADEs at Pyre.
Aboard the Rêveur, Cordelia contacted her carrier captains. At Sol, she’d expected to provision the ships with minimal Omnian crews to sail the carriers to Pyre. Instead, President Fowler informed her that Earth was prepared to crew the carriers.
“Under what conditions?” Cordelia had asked Nikki.
“Sol will provide remuneration for the crews, who are prepared to serve under the station’s commander,” Nikki replied. “The crews will not be ordered or requested to sail beyond alliance space. The stories about federacy space are terrible enough. Our people aren’t prepared to encounter battleships.”
“Anything else?” Cordelia asked.
“Yes, Admiral, the crews will be allowed to rotate to Sol after a year’s service,” Nikki replied.
“Impractical, Madam President,” Cordelia replied. “A carrier might be on assignment for more than a year. Then there’s the time required for the alli
ance to upgrade its technology to build passenger transports that will return the crews to Sol.”
“What do you suggest, Admiral?” Nikki returned.
“The initial crews will serve for three Sol years, and they’re to be paid bonuses equivalent to half a year’s stipend at the end of their commitments,” Cordelia offered. “Subsequent terms will be for two years, with a four-month bonus at the end of service.”
“Generous bonuses,” Nikki commented.
“Remember, Madam President, the purpose of these carriers is to fight the Colony,” Cordelia rejoined. “The rail guns that were added are meant to destroy transports that could be armed as traps. They represent a level of danger that deserves to be compensated.”
“Let me counter that proposal,” Nikki said in her best negotiating tone.
“Negative, Madam President,” Cordelia interrupted. “That’s my only offer on this point. The alternative is that your crews remain at Sol, and Omnians sail the carriers to Pyre.”
Nikki was stunned by Cordelia’s adamancy, and she belatedly realized her mistake. Cordelia wasn’t the SADE who’d adopted the Idona Station orphans, or rather, she’d evolved since then. Obviously, like humans, SADEs changed over time.
“Agreed,” Nikki finally said.
Cordelia had been pleased with the crews she’d received. They were competent, having trained on Tridents.
