“It’s like having a front row seat in the middle of a combat zone in space,” Logan said. He looked left, right, up and down and the chair followed. The panel between the seats caught his eye. Logan pointed to the touchpad, “I think we accidentally hit this.” He pressed an aqua colored icon despite having no clue of its meaning, “This may be a good time for some of those hieroglyphs you study to mean something. I’d like to turn down the volume.”
“No, not ringing a bell right now,” Ayla said, “besides, this is pretty neat.”
Logan tapped on a second icon, but it only seemed to make matters worse as the lighting strobed while heat and odd smells were vented into the room. The doors slid open and Honoré stepped in, tapped the display a few times freezing the images and sound, “I guess I should have done a better job explaining this to you. On Earth, this would be your theater room. It makes you feel like you are right in the mix. Sometimes on these trips, it’s the only thing that keeps you sane out here. If you are alone, the vastness of a never-ending universe is more like a giant prison. I guess some get used to it, but I never will.”
“Come on, you are the epitome of the ‘Space Cowboy,’” Logan said. “Do you know how many movies have been made about people like you on Earth?”
“I don’t know why. It’s boring out here. Now, if you were on a large vessel with other people that you can get along with, it’s not so bad. But, unless you are insane, it is not so much fun.”
“Where is this place? How long will it take to get there?” Ayla asked.
“Twenty to twenty-two days. In about ten days we will dock on a much larger and more impressive vessel that will take us the rest of the way. It will be a lot more comfortable than this one. But they will not have as good of a ‘movie’ collection as me.”
“I’m almost too afraid to ask what else you have in there,” Ayla said jokingly.
“Can you tell me what you know about my sister?” Logan blurted out.
“Just what I have told you before. You know that she was a slave…that has been well established. I sort of rescued her…right place at the right time. Well, I more or less gave her a ride she had pretty much freed herself. To this day I have no idea how she did that. The Tilhar was a big bad fighting machine. Yet, somehow, a petite woman with a depleted mind killed him and got away.”
“What do you mean ‘depleted,’” Logan asked.
“Well, after they have sorted through the people or beings they have taken, the ones that they are going to keep for sale are manipulated.”
“What does that mean?” Ayla asked.
“They alter their minds to where all or most of their memories are unavailable to them. The mind is altered to lower their intelligence levels to just above what is needed to perform whatever task the purchaser wants. Less chance of rebellion, disobedience, disloyalty, disciplinary issues…to prevent the exact thing your sister managed to pull off,” Honoré said. He could tell by the look on Logan’s face that he would have to give a better explanation. “The changes aren’t permanent. Most slavers have a kuorteo. It’s a handheld device. When they put it in the right spot somewhere on the back of the head, they can scan all their memories, access brain function and get an idea of what kind of psychological or intellectual condition they are in.
“Look, Tilhar was a very big player in the emedu, or what you would refer to as the slave trade. The emedu is why that particular tsunami happened and why your sister was taken from Earth.”
Logan had a look of dread, “Can there be a repair for the minds of these people?”
“If any beings in the universe can do it, it would be the Viennians. Their technology is second to none,” Honoré noted.
“I don’t mean just return it to normal. Can they cleanse her memories? Leave only the good ones and take away everything from the time she was taken?” Logan asked.
“I don’t know if they can. All I know is that they didn’t,” Honoré replied.
“Forced prostitution, was she used for that kind of stuff?” Logan asked hesitantly.
“I don’t know. Only she can tell you that. What I can tell you is that there is a bounty on her head and I am not sure how long the Viennians will shelter her. The…harmonious balance of the universe is about to become chaos and disorder,” he turned, walked to the wall and leaned up against it as if somehow doing so helped ease the burden of what he had to tell them. In a somber tone, he said, “the nations of the Baraza Zima are on the brink of war if it hasn’t started already. The Baraza Zima may be at its end. If this is the case, your planet will be nothing more than a breeding ground…a farm if the other side wins. The human people… no more than a herd. Your weapons, your technology will be taken from you. They don’t care about your laws or your Constitution that I hear so much about. We can talk more later. If the brune is clear now, we will enter celerity?”
“Celerity?” Logan asked.
“Brune?” Ayla asked simultaneously.
“Hyper-speed…I think your people call it. The brune is like a tunnel. It makes that kind of speed safer.”
Before leaving the room, Honoré reached over between them, “Try to enjoy,” then tapped on the control screen.
Instantly, the room came back to life. They found themselves in the middle of a realistic simulation of flying through a planet at a high speed chasing a target. The chairs spun to the left and right then leaned back until they were facing the apex of the domed ceiling as their eyes chased the moving spacecraft in the movie. Logan looked at Ayla and she was smiling and seemed to be enjoying the experience. He wasn’t certain what the kiss meant. Was it simply two people caught in the moment or was it more than that? Either way, Logan had come to care for her. She reached over and grabbed his hand.
Chapter 21
Since first seeing the tiny dot in the distance, it had taken nearly a full day to get close enough to the transport to understand and appreciate the size and scope of the vessel. Despite seeing it with the naked eye, each marveled at the sight finding it difficult to comprehend. It was unequivocally straight out of a work of science fiction and like nothing they had ever seen on Earth in the air, water or on land. The structure was easily a thousand times the size of the Stur Craft, which looked like a floating spec as they cruised next to an outer wall approaching the bay opening. The shape suggested that aerodynamics was not a primary factor in its design. Due to the location of the thrusters, they assumed that a concave area that was more like a hollow point than a slug was the front of the massive transport.
From afar the ship seemed to morph and constantly change shape. When they drew closer, the cause was revealed. Glass viewing platforms six feet wide by eight feet tall slowly extended outward away from the craft as they approached giving the occupants of the transport an unobstructed view. They could see what appeared to be beings that looked not all that different from the people of Earth walking back and forth in the cubed observation areas. As they passed, the sections seemed to slide back into their proper place.
A family of three was standing at the end of one of the extended viewing areas. In front of two, what she assumed were adults, was a young Viennin girl about four-feet tall. From the bridge, Ayla waved at her. The young Viennin instantly responded and excitedly turned to her parents saying something. Subconsciously, the words, “It waved at me,” popped into her mind. She felt more like an exhibit, a monkey in a zoo, than a celebrity. After all, the people of Earth were not as advanced as the Viennians and they had no reason to be in awe of people from Earth.
“Each of the living quarters has a viewing area that can be extended outward. They are all anxious to see the Earth people,” Honoré said.
“I thought that Earth people were everywhere as slaves,” Gunner said as he turned to face Honoré. “How do we know they aren’t trying to get a better look so that they can bid on us?”
“Not here. Most of the people on Econ have never seen anyone from Earth and have no interest in owning slaves. They see it as reprehens
ible,” Honoré replied casting a disapproving look at his guest.
The Stur Craft flew through a large opening and into a bay then touched down. With his right hand, Logan held onto Ayla and the other was ready to retrieve the Glock if he should need it. Gunner stood to his left and gripped his own weapon. If Honoré had been a total fraud and the entire situation a well-conceived setup, now had come the time to find out. They often considered the possibilities and agreed that the risk was worth the prospect of getting Logan’s sister back and representing, while unofficially, the people of Earth. They stood at the door and the hatch opened.
A tall female in a blue and grey uniform with her hair in a tight bun stood motionless eying them up. The warm smile faded as she looked upon their new guests. She appeared to be in her mid-thirties, fit and confident. On her left breast area credentials were pinned on the uniform, “Honoré, I thought you said that these Earth people came willingly,” she said. “Are you sure that these are the ones the Director was speaking of?”
He looked at them and shook his head, “You guys look like you are prepared for a fight. You can take your hands off the weapons. We are all on the same side. There is nothing to be concerned about. You can keep your weapons. They are pretty useless here anyway. Your black powder and ignition, combustion-based weaponry whatever you call it, is no good here.”
Logan moved his hand away from the Glock. Gunner was frozen and simply stared at the red-green eyes of the woman in the opening for a second before regaining his composure. He looked down and took his hand off the pistol. “Sorry.” His demeanor changed while trying to hide his mild embarrassment.
Logan smiled after looking over at his friend as he struggled mildly. He looked briefly at the Viennin woman and then back to Gunner. Each held their gaze for a few seconds.
Ayla looked past the opening and into the large crowd in the hanger just outside beyond the ramp. Hundreds of uniformed people were lined up in square formations of twenty. They were as motionless as stone statues.
“I believe it is in your custom to shake hands as a gesture of goodwill when you meet?” the tall female Viennin said breaking the odd silence. “I am the Commander of the Tuega, you may call me Astrid.”
“Should that be Commander Astrid?” Gunner asked recovering from his embarrassing moment.
“No, you are not under my command. That is not our custom here,” Astrid replied extending her hand.
Gunner walked up and shook her hand; it was warm and soft. He looked up at her and said, “It is a pleasure to meet you, Command…Astrid.” He inadvertently held her hand for a second longer than was customary. She looked into his eyes and smiled while giving a courteous nod. To Gunner’s surprise, she didn’t seem in a hurry to release his hand either.
“And you are?” she asked.
“Gunner Dawson.”
“Uh-oh,” Logan whispered to himself.
Ayla heard it too and knew what he was referencing. At first, Gunner was helpless to hide his attraction to her. Since the initial shock of seeing her, Gunner had become a bit more acclimated to the Viennian that was standing before him and managed to relax and present himself competently. Logan was also surprised by the attractive qualities of the commander but had done a far better job of concealing it than Gunner.
Prior to meeting the Commander of the Tuega, Logan dealt with a reoccurring fear of the possibility that Honoré was merely settling a debt or intended to collect a bounty on them due to their actions on Earth. Certainly, he wondered if that would have been possible considering how Honoré had killed some of the Kurun and Tisht. But the prospect prevented him from having any confidence in the man he still knew little about. Logan even considered the possibility of his being a human trafficker and the Econian’s reasons for being on Earth was part of a turf war despite the denials. Honoré spoke often and pridefully of things he had done for money and did little to camouflage his desire for profit. This was slightly unsettling and had conjured a subtle sense of vulnerability. Hundreds of thousands of miles from Earth, cruising through space with no way to get back, they were indeed extremely vulnerable and dependent upon him. Logan felt a measure of guilt about his distrust and almost confessed and apologized to him after boarding the Tuega and realizing it was not a slave ship.
A day after boarding the vessel, everything seemed to be just as Honoré had told them. The new transport was much larger and more luxurious than either of them could have imagined. The Viennin crew was extremely accommodating and treated them with a certain celebrity, even preparing dishes that gave the appearance of American food, but clearly comprised of foreign ingredients. The food looked great but tasted and smelled far different than the dish it was modeled after leaving their imaginations to wonder about what they were really eating. The three appreciated the effort and did their best to make sure that their hosts believed that the food was an uncanny, near perfect version of the dishes they were supposed to replicate, but in secret, they longed for Earth food.
Despite having their own quarters and the liberty to roam the ship, which surprisingly included the bridge, the galley was where they seemed to naturally congregate. The galley hung from the belly of the Tuega. Large sections of transparent plates on the walls and floor provided stunning views of space. The area could easily fit several hundred people at a time during dining and had offered them plenty of room. In thirty-minute increments, members of the crew came in, dined, cleaned up their messes, and returned to their respective positions. Often members of the crew would sit and talk with them during their time off. Due to this interaction, they had learned much about the people of Viennin. While their customs were vastly different from that of the United States, from a perspective of the structure of their representative government, love of country, family unity, and self-discipline, the people of the two nations had a lot in common.
Despite the lack of flavorful food, the worst part was that there was no coffee, creamer or sugar. It seemed as if months had passed since either was able to enjoy the caffeinated beverage. At times, in the morning, it was mostly what Logan thought about. He would pay good money for a cup, but his currency was probably worthless unless he found an alien being that wanted Earth currency as a collectible. Logan wondered if any of the aliens that visited Earth had stolen any and possibly sold in on the black markets somewhere as his mind desperately searched for any possibilities of how to obtain some. He swore that he would never leave Earth again without an ample supply of all three. What could Brown do for you…well, it can bring me some coffee, he thought.
While it did not offer the satisfaction equal to that of coffee, there was a purple, slightly carbonated beverage that they found to be quite enjoyable in the evenings. They were not sure if it had contained alcohol or an ingredient that their bodies reacted to in a similar manner, but after a few glasses, they were feeling anything but normal. Since leaving Earth and having a nearly continuous view of the sun, they seemed to lose all sense of their days. There was no difference between night and day and they often struggled to sleep based on their ability to maintain Eastern Earth time. For Logan, the purple concoction made sleeping much easier.
Over the course of the twelve days it had taken since docking on the Tuega to reach Econ, Gunner had spent as much time with Astrid as she would allow him. At first, she resisted citing the need to command a ship and the crew, but after a few days of persistence had agreed to dinner with him in the galley. This consequently turned into breakfast, lunch, and dinner on a daily basis. He respected her time and Astrid appreciated that quality about him. After the third dinner, she began to seek him out as they began to spend all of her downtime together. The running joke between Ayla and Logan, who were quite close themselves, was, if Gunner was not with them, he was with Astrid.
During one dinner, Ayla leaned over and kissed Logan on the cheek and noted, “I don’t think he will be coming back to Earth with us.”
Logan chuckled, “Whatever makes him happy. The man served his country honorab
ly for almost two decades, if it works out, I am glad for him.”
It was at the end of their twenty-second day in space, just as they were hanging out in the galley preparing to partake of the ‘purple punch,’ as they began calling it, the Tuega came out of celerity and prepared to dock just outside of Econ’s orbit. Watching the alien planet during the approach over the course of a few days was awe inspiring for Logan, Ayla, and Gunner when he wasn’t with Astrid. Twenty-one days prior they had no real proof that the alien planets existed. Earth was now but a bright star in the distance on the other side of the sun and Econ was before them no longer to be denied.
“Three moons. They look huge compared to ours,” Ayla said. One was grey, a second was pink, and the third was still in the shadow of the planet, unobservable outside of its size.
“The colors are almost exactly like Earth. The clouds and water. I’m looking for North America and it is odd to not see it anywhere,” Logan said.
“The shape of the continents certainly stands out. This planet is obviously a lot larger than Earth…I think anyone can see that. Also, it has a tremendous amount of landmass. The Earth’s surface is covered by seventy-five percent water, this looks to be about fifty percent with still plenty enough water to fill our oceans. Of course, that is based on what I can see at the surface, it obviously depends on the depth and volume, but looks like it could,” Ayla said wide-eyed looking over the alien planet.
They packed up what little belongings they brought and met in the galley for what was possibly the last breakfast on the Tuega. Luggage was scattered around the tables. Gunner joined them, which had been the first time in days.
Universal Code Page 41
