by S. H. Jucha
Four meters from the open hatch, Sika’s air ran out. When she heard the suit alarm, she’d pulled deeply on the remaining cubic centimeters of air and held her breath. As she neared the hatch, she slowly breathed out, releasing the carbon dioxide building in her lungs. It was the gas that demanded that she take a breath.
Hauling the digger inside the airlock, Sika punched in the code to seal the outer hatch and pressurize the airlock. Her lungs burned, and her body screamed for her to breathe.
It can’t be said that Sika was calm. That would imply she was capable of emotion. She wasn’t, and she knew it. Prior to her mistress adopting her, Sika had calculated she wouldn’t live long. The odds were against her. It was after she came under Dorelyn’s protection that she had the time and opportunity to observe others and learn to mimic them.
To Sika’s credit, she was a clever and intelligent student. She soon associated people’s facial and body responses to the circumstances that generated them. Then she practiced in a mirror until she’d perfected her mimicry.
Opening the interior hatch, Sika entered an agri-dome. She returned the digger to its shed, climbed out of her vac suit, stored it inside, and charged the air tanks. The shed belonged to the Gaylan family. The family’s mark on the doors ensured it wouldn’t be bothered by anyone but family security personnel.
Afterwards, Sika moved through three connected domes to reach her private apartment. She relieved herself, ate a perfunctory meal, crawled into bed, and instantly fell asleep, as was her habit.
-11-
Three Proposals
Harbour and Jessie trooped across Triton’s dusty surface toward the Belle’s shuttle. Aurelia and Devon chose to remain behind.
As promised by Danny, the shuttle had an internal airlock installed. The outer hatch had been triggered, and it levered down to create a gangway. One at a time, Harbour and then Jessie cycled into the shuttle. Then crew helped them out of their vac suits.
After the shuttle lifted from the moon’s surface, Harbour was handed a restorative green, and Jessie received a fruit juice.
Drigtik, with his fruit juice in hand, sat beside Harbour, while Jessie sat on the other side of her. They were surprised that the Jatouche had made the trip.
“Success?” Drigtik asked.
“We don’t know yet,” Harbour replied. “We asked the triumvirate for a great deal of infrastructure support. They said they’ll present our requests to the Tsargit.”
Drigtik regarded Harbour. “Do you not wish to inform me of the entire exchange?” he asked.
Jessie loosened his restraints to allow him to lean forward. “What do you know that we don’t, Drigtik?” he asked.
“A Veklock triumvirate has the authority to grant any infrastructure requests they deem reasonable,” Drigtik explained. “Either you asked for too much, which I doubt, or their proposal required your consideration, or you requested something other than infrastructure. Was it one or more of these?”
“The issue wasn’t on our end,” Harbour replied. “We gave tentative approval if they satisfied two non-infrastructure requests.”
“I assume Her Excellency and Jaktook advised you on the feasibility of these specific requests,” Drigtik said, sucking deeply on his drink tube.
“They did, and so did the Crocians,” Jessie replied. “One of our requests requires the Tsargit invent a political solution. The other was thought to be doubtful. So, we chose to take care of that one.”
“Enterprising,” Drigtik commended. “And what does the Tsargit want?”
“For one, the dome knowledge that Aurelia and Devon have accumulated,” Harbour replied.
“And more exploration of non-alliance domes to understand the scope of the Colony’s expansion,” Jessie added.
Drigtik’s drink tube was midway to his mouth, and it hung there. “And this is what you agreed to do?” Drigtik asked in alarm.
“It will be one team,” Jessie replied, “and it will include two Crocians.”
“But your tales of the encounters with the reds and the grays,” Drigtik objected. “How can you think of exploring again without superior weapons —” He halted in midsentence, sipped on his fruit drink, and then chittered. He’d deduced what must have happened. “Where did you go for your new tools?” he inquired and winked.
“Where did you learn that?” Harbour asked, laughing at Drigtik’s new mannerism.
“My observations of humans,” Drigtik replied. “I’ve learned that humans speak words that aren’t meant to be taken literally or seriously. They often use this means of expression to indicate when that’s the case. Am I correct?”
“You are,” Harbour replied.
“And?” Drigtik pursued.
“We wandered a little off alliance territory,” Jessie replied, admitting to what Drigtik had guessed.
“Have they been tested?” Drigtik asked.
“Yes,” Jessie replied casually.
“And are they effective?” Drigtik asked.
“Yes,” Jessie said once more.
“Most satisfactory,” Drigtik said with an air of contentment. His moment of satisfaction was ruined by the sound of his fruit drink bottoming out.
Jessie and Harbour shared grins. It was good to have friends who worried about them, especially alien ones.
The shuttle made good time returning to the Belle. Emperion had advanced only a few days past an alignment with Triton.
When the shuttle touched down and adopted the colony’s ship’s rotation, Harbour breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s the longest flight I’ve taken with intermittent gravity,” she said. “I don’t know how you spacers do it … acceleration, artificial gravity, deceleration, no gravity, some gravity … it’s a wonder Aurelia adapted so well.”
“She wanted desperately to belong,” Jessie replied thoughtfully. Then he added, “It’s the asteroids that are tough. The moons have enough mass to keep you anchored, but if you kick off hard enough from a small asteroid without being latched on, you become space rock.”
Harbour shuddered. “I’ve something more pleasant in mind,” she said. “I’m going to get clean and enjoy some fresh food. Care to join me for a meal?”
“Love to,” Jessie replied.
A few hours later, they were relaxing in the common room of their new suite.
“I do miss the Belle’s fresh food when we’re away from this ship,” Jessie replied, patting his full stomach.
A knock on the suite’s door had Harbour calling out, “Enter.”
“Good evening, Tracy,” Jessie said, when the spacer entered.
“I’d like to speak to the two of you,” Tracy requested.
“Sit down,” Harbour offered. “What do you need?”
“What did the Veklocks have to say?” Tracy asked.
“We’ve requested some serious infrastructure projects in exchange for the Tsargit’s request that we survey the Colony’s expansion,” Harbour replied.
“Then if the Tsargit approves your requests, you’re going,” Tracy pursued.
“Yes, and this time, we’ll take just one team,” Harbour replied.
“Who’s on the team so far?” Tracy inquired.
“Jessie; Aurelia; Devon; Mangoth; his sibling, Hangor; and me,” Harbour replied.
“No Jatouche?” Tracy asked with confusion.
“We’re hoping not,” Jessie replied.
“Good luck with that,” Tracy said with a smirk.
Harbour sensed Tracy’s confidence in her statement, and it matched the substance of her conversation with Jaktook. “What have you learned, Tracy?” Harbour asked.
“I kept Lindsey company during her day shift with Rictook,” Tracy replied. “Tacticnok and he often talked about the future of the Jatouche. They spent many hours discussing two topics, the Tsargit and the Colony.”
“How does what they discussed affect whether the Jatouche will or won’t journey with us?” Jessie asked.
Out of Tracy’s line of sight, Harbour hand signed to Jessi
e to be patient.
“Rictook advised Tacticnok not to depend on our efforts, when it came to the Colony,” Tracy replied. “In my opinion, a Jatouche, most likely Jaktook, will insist on accompanying you. If you refuse, I suspect a Jatouche team will explore the domes independently of you.”
“Oh, for the love of Pyre,” Jessie groaned.
Harbour glanced at Jessie. She agreed with his sentiment. She was horrified at the thought of a team of diminutive and passive Jatouche encountering the deadly reds and grays.
“By the way, I think Tacticnok agreed with her father, even though she didn’t say so at the time,” Tracy added.
“Anything else?” Harbour asked Tracy.
“Will you be using the same defensive weapons?” Tracy asked.
“We’ve new ones. They’re offensive,” Harbour said.
“Good,” Tracy commented. “I’ve an easy solution to this potential dilemma.” To Harbour’s questioning look, she said, “Invite Jaktook to accompany you. That’ll prevent a confrontation with Tacticnok. He’ll be my responsibility to keep safe.”
“Aren’t you supposed to be invited first, spacer?” Jessie queried with some heat.
Tracy gave Jessie a grin, but there was no mirth in her eyes. “I’m on the same shuttle as Jaktook. As far as I’m concerned, Jaktook and I can be on the Harbour and Jessie team, or we can join the Jatouche team.”
Tracy rose and made for the door. She paused in the doorway, and added, “Let me know your decision.”
After the cabin door closed, Harbour said, “You were a little harsh with her.”
“It was a test. I needed to know her frame of mind,” Jessie replied.
“You could have asked me after she left. I could have told you what she was feeling,” Harbour said pointedly.
“Sorry … old captain’s habit to challenge a spacer’s determination … forgot I’m an advisor,” Jessie apologized.
“When we were testing the weapons, I spoke to Jaktook,” Harbour said. “I think that Tacticnok and Jaktook have no faith that the Tsargit will take effective action against the Colony’s encroachment. They mean to take direct action to protect the Jatouche. We must remember that we know little about the alliance, the Tsargit, and the relationship of the Jatouche to both of them. I think Tracy and Lindsey received an education on these subjects by listening to Rictook speak to Tacticnok.”
“So, which is better? Take Jaktook and Tracy with us or let the Jatouche handle their own exploration?” Jessie asked.
Harbour regarded Jessie with a lift of a single eyebrow.
“It was a rhetorical question,” Jessie replied quickly, raising his hands in his defense. “We take the pair.”
“That’s our team then,” she said.
“Agreed,” Jessie replied.
Harbour sighed at the turn in circumstances. She picked up her comm unit and waved it at Jessie, and he said, “It’s as good a time as any.”
Harbour called the bridge. “I need Captain Stamerson and Commandant Finian,” she said.
When the Belle’s shuttle left Emperion to pick up Harbour and Jessie, Dingles gave the shuttle a week’s headstart. Then he had curtailed the slush deposits to the ship. Soon after, he readied the massive colony ship to sail. He headed the Belle inward toward Pyre.
Dingles and Danny communicated their mutual trajectories and determined a rendezvous point. It enabled the shuttle to dock aboard the Belle while the colony ship was en route to the JOS. At the time of Harbour’s call, the ship was passing inward of Minist’s orbit, Pyre’s first moon, which meant the comm delay for communication would be minimal.
“Envoy, I have your conference call,” the bridge advised.
“Connect me,” Harbour requested. When her comm unit displayed the participants, she set the device on the table between Jessie and herself.
“Thank you for taking my call, Henry and Liam. Jessie is with me,” Harbour began. “I’ll make this quick. We wish to reschedule the Review Board meeting.”
“For when?” Henry asked.
Harbour glanced at Jessie, who said, “We’ll make the JOS in six days. Let’s make it for the seventh.”
“It needs to be made public,” Harbour added. “We’ve several things to present to the board, and the citizens have a right to hear and ask questions.”
“We can use the auditorium,” Liam suggested, “if that works for you, Henry?”
“Whatever the envoy wishes,” Henry replied good-naturedly.
“I take it that media coverage is acceptable,” Liam inquired.
“Acceptable and encouraged,” Jessie replied.
“Can I offer the public an agenda?” Henry asked.
“Three items, Henry,” Harbour replied. “Update on a Tsargit proposition, request for Belle reimbursements, and a discovery within the colony ship’s library.”
“Are you sure you want to bring up that last subject now?” Liam asked.
“When you hear our first announcement, Liam, you’ll know why it’s time to reveal what’s been perpetrated against our colonists,” Harbour replied.
* * * *
The Review Board meeting date, time, and place were posted on the JOS media channel devoted to station events.
Liam assumed that the families monitored the channel, but he took perverse pleasure in making a personal call.
Dorelyn picked up her comm unit and sighed. Her least favorite person was calling. “Commandant Finian, how can I help you?” she asked pleasantly.
“You’ve probably noticed by now, Dorelyn, that you’re not getting inside information on security department matters,” Liam replied just as considerately. He waited and was disappointed that he wasn’t able to bait Dorelyn into replying. “I’m notifying you personally that in four days, the envoy and the advisor will make several presentations to the Review Board. The board will be open to the public and seating will be on a first-come-first-served basis.”
“Thank you for taking the time to inform me, Commandant,” Dorelyn said, working to remain congenial. Then she ended the call.
At the day of Harbour and Jessie’s presentations, Dorelyn, Idrian, and Rufus Stewart, who comprised the families’ council head, arrived early for the Review Board meeting, or so they thought.
Miguel signaled the auditorium doors aside for the family heads, and they heard his chuckle.
Dorelyn halted in the doorway. The auditorium was packed.
“We saved you three seats,” Miguel said to Dorelyn. “Spot the commandant. He’s near them.”
Dorelyn stepped inside the spacious area. She glanced toward the stage but failed to spot Liam. She scanned the rows. It was the commandant’s wave that caught her attention. Their seats were halfway back from the stage on the far edge of the auditorium.
“I believe the commandant is making a point to us,” Dorelyn whispered angrily. Then she led Idrian and Rufus to their seats.
Henry sat on the stage with the other board members, minus the arrested Randall Jordan, who had been indicted for his crimes and was awaiting trial. Harbour and Jessie stood at a podium to the side.
Henry opened the meeting. “Envoy Harbour, the board is ready to hear your first agenda item,” he said. “I caution the audience not to interrupt. Questions will be solicited after each presentation.”
Harbour summarized the requests made to the Veklocks, and she ended her presentation with a note that the triumvirate would be seeking the approval of the Tsargit.
The audience hadn’t been quiet. At the mention of the first infrastructure item, they were commenting to friends and associates. By the time Harbour finished the list of requested projects to the Veklocks, they were whistling and applauding.
When Harbour spoke of the Tsargit’s requirements of the Pyreans, the noise ceased. The audience knew what the explorers would be risking.
Henry opened the meeting to questions after Harbour finished.
A mining captain stood. He said, “I don’t have a question. I’d just like to
express my gratitude for you taking my son to Rissness Station for repair and to thank you for all you’re doing for Pyre.”
“You’re welcome, Captain,” Harbour replied.
Dorelyn glanced at Idrian, who’d allowed his son to join the twenty to be repaired.
Idrian refused to meet Dorelyn’s eyes. Instead, he stared fixedly toward the stage.
“If there are no more questions or comments,” Henry said, “I’d also like to thank Envoy Harbour, Advisor Cinders, and the other explorers for their sacrifices. Pyre is indebted to you. Envoy, you may proceed with your second agenda item.”
Jessie took the podium. He addressed the audience. “We’ve sent the board our estimates of the functions we’ve provided for transport, hosting, and storage of the personnel, equipment, and material associated with the intravertors the Jatouche supplied. As you heard earlier, we’ve also made another emergency medical run to Triton, but the envoy has requested that we not bill for that service, and I agree.”
Henry and the other members checked their comm units. “Received,” Henry said. “The board will review your request for reimbursement. The details will be posted for public comments. Now, your final agenda item, please, Envoy.”
“The board has received is a link to an area within the Honora Belle’s library,” Harbour said. “You can’t copy, delete, or alter the documents you view. This is the way the document library was designed to work. Yet, somehow files were removed from the colony ship soon after its arrival over Pyre.”
“Do you know by whom or how the files were taken?” Henry asked.
“I can shed some light on this matter, Captain Stamerson,” Liam said, as he stood. “Subsequent to ex-Governor Markos Andropov’s arrest, Belle documents were said to have been found in the governor’s data library by Governor Lise Panoy. We’re in possession of the documents that she sent security, but we’ve no idea if they’re all the files Andropov possessed or if they were all the ones taken from the Belle.”
“Thank you for the clarification, Commandant,” Henry said. “Please continue, Envoy.”
“When our colony ship was launched from Earth, the library contained a set of documents, which were installed by the countries that built the ship. These documents were meant to guide the colonists when they were awakened. The captain was empowered to enact the processes that were to create the new society,” Harbour explained. “What’s evident, if you read these files, is that the builders’ concept of our new society has been usurped. They envisioned our citizens represented by elected representatives and a president, who would be devoted to their welfare. Today, we’ve a fractured society, and this should be rectified. I’m proposing that a plebiscite be authorized. Every citizen should have a vote as to whether he or she wishes to institute the form of government that the builders intended.”
