Sojourn
Page 12
“As soon as we finalize arrangements,” Sargut replied. “Why are you anxious to see the mound, without taking time to inquire about our technological transformation, Toral’s present condition, or our new constitution?”
“It’s not your place to question what we wish to do,” Tortred declared.
Sargut displayed his teeth in a manner that intimated dark humor.
“Your pardon, President Sargut,” Durgat said smoothly, trying to repair the offense. “Our citizens want to know that we’ve ascended the mound … that our home world is truly Toralian, once again.”
“What does ascending the mound have to do with placating your citizens?” Taralum asked, suddenly suspicious of Durgat’s motives.
“It’s merely a formality. We’ll record the moment,” Tratget added, wishing to support Durgat.
“As you will,” Sargut allowed. “If you insist on making this trip, let me acquaint you with the conditions.”
That remark was Miriamtess’s cue, and she signaled Alex, who walked into the bay with Renée, Tatia, Julien, and her.
“Allow me to introduce our comrades in arms and, I’m pleased to say, our friends,” Sargut said. Deliberately, he began with Miriamette, even though all eyes were glued to Alex and Tatia, and he was forced to issue a short whistle to gain the governors’ attention.
“As I started to say,” Sargut continued, “this is Miriamette. She is the liaison for the Sisterhood, who’ve formed the new society with us.”
The governors recalled Suntred’s warning, and they withheld their comments, this time. However, the agents weren’t able to prevent their scowling and hissing.
“Rude bunch, aren’t they?” Alex said, in an aside to Tatia.
“Agreed,” Tatia replied.
Immediately, Tortred wanted to know what the aliens had said.
Miriamette took the opportunity to enter the conversation since she’d been the one to be introduced.
“Alex Racine, the Omnian leader, has noted the failure of your security forces to greet me properly, Governor Tortred,” Miriamette said. “He made the comment to Fleet Admiral Tatia Tachenko, and she thought the same, as do I. We find it hard to understand how President Sargut and his fleet crews can be such wonderful individuals, while representatives of the Toralian colonies aren’t.”
“Don’t judge us all by the comments and actions of some, Liaison Miriamette,” Sunnamis said firmly. “You have my apologies, and you have my assurance that those responsible and who report to me will be reprimanded.”
Miriamette tipped her head in acceptance.
“You’ve already heard the introductions of Alex Racine and Admiral Tachenko,” Sargut continued. “On the other side of Alex, is Renée de Guirnon, Alex’s partner and the Omnian co-leader. Beside her is Julien. He’s also a SADE, as are Miriamette and Miriamtess.”
“Are you a sister, Julien?” Somgut asked.
“No, he’s not,” Sargut promptly replied. “In addition, please note that Julien is a friend and confidant of Alex Racine. He’s also the leader of the Omnian SADEs.”
“Thank you for the introductions, President Sargut,” Durgat said. “May we depart for the planet now?”
“As I said before, when arrangements are finalized,” Sargut replied. “Those are in Alex Racine’s hands.” Then he gestured to Alex.
The SADE pulled his portable holo-vid and powered it.
Addressing the governors, Alex said, “You need to see what we’ve been facing and will continue to encounter.”
When Julien completed his translation, he activated the holo-vid, and the governors forgot their reticence and crowded close to better view the images.
The scenes needed no explanation. A war against the bots was taking place, although the governors saw only one side. Beams of energy struck continuously against bots of all sizes. Small ones disappeared in a blaze. The largest were crippled. Yet, still they poured from the darkness, intent on reaching the wielders of those beams.
“We eliminated thousands and thousands of rebellious bots,” Alex said, at the conclusion of the vids. “But there are many out there, waiting for an opportunity to strike. They are the smaller ones, but they’re aggressive and deadly.”
“We have our security,” Tortred insisted.
“And what do you carry for weapons?” Alex asked.
The agents hesitated, and the Omnians could guess why. Durgat turned to the nearest member of his team and nodded. In reply, the agent reached under a vest and pulled out a small device.
“What does it fire?” Alex asked.
“It doesn’t,” Taralum replied. “It’s a deterrent to use against citizens or fleet crews … a shock weapon.”
Tatia burst out laughing, when her implant translated Taralum’s explanation, and the visitors bristled at the perceived insult.
“Now, I’ll show you who defeated the bot army and destroyed Artifice’s antennas, ending the entity’s domination over the federacy’s races,” Alex said, which cued Z, Miranda, and Homsaff to enter the bay.
“This is Queen Homsaff,” Alex said with a slight flourish. “She carries a plasma weapon. That’s what you saw discharged at the bots. That’s what you require for protection, when you visit the mound.”
Then gesturing from one to the other, Alex said, “This is Z and Miranda. They’re Omnian SADEs. At this time, they inhabit their protector avatars.”
“Could you explain your last statement, Alex Racine?” Sunnamis requested.
“We design and construct avatars to suit our needs and interests,” Z replied. “They can take any form that we can build, and then we transfer our consciousness between them.”
The visitors’ eyes roamed over the display of individuals who faced them — humans, SADEs, Dischnya, and Toralians, with Sargut’s dominant appearance at the center of them.
“Now, let me specify the conditions of your visit to the mound,” Alex said, breaking the governors’ mesmerized attention.
“Why you?” Durgat belatedly asked.
“We put our safety in Alex’s hands whenever we visit the surface,” Sargut replied, “and we’ll continue to do so until his people tell us the renegade bots have been eliminated. Now you will too.”
“The agents will remain on the orbital station,” Alex continued.
“No,” Tortred declared.
“Or you can be returned to your ships,” Sargut offered.
“Continue, Alex Racine,” Durgat requested, flashing warning eyes at Tortred.
“The smaller the party, the easier it is to protect,” Alex explained. “Furthermore, my security team doesn’t need agents who are seeking to obey your orders, when I’m expecting everyone to obey mine. Most important, your agents’ weapons are useless against the bots.”
“Your overly large SADEs carry no weaponry,” Tratget noted.
“Never underestimate females,” Miranda replied sweetly, as she twisted off a packing crate handle. The metal screeched, and she crushed it in her hand.
“You’ve heard my conditions, Governors,” Alex stated. “Do you accept them?”
“I do,” Sunnamis quickly volunteered, which had the others following her lead.
“Queen Homsaff, load your warriors on Chandra’s traveler,” Alex ordered. “Miriamtess, please accompany Chandra.”
The visitors watched the Dischnya stream into the bay and board Chandra’s traveler. They marveled as they watched the aliens move with military precision. Despite the size of a weapon and the accompanying equipment strapped to a Dischnya’s back, each individual leapt from the deck to the interior of the traveler in a single bound. That these aliens had fur, pointed ears, and sharp teeth made them much more acceptable to the visitors than humans and SADEs.
“Except for the agents, everyone, follow me, please,” Alex announced. Then he spun on hi
s heels and exited the bay.
Miranda and Z waited at the airlock. The last to exit the bay were the agents, despite the fact that they weren’t invited, and the SADEs blocked their way.
An agent attempted to use his stun weapon against Z, but the SADE grasped the weapon and crushed it.
“You’re required to remain behind,” Miranda said. “Don’t force us to demonstrate our superior strength and speed.”
The agents backed away, and Z and Miranda hurried to the alternate bay and the waiting traveler.
Franz Cohen waited in the pilot’s cabin for his passengers. He observed them enter the bay through the controller’s relay of the ship’s exterior sensors. Quite the entourage, Alex, he thought, when everyone had boarded.
Franz cleared the orbital station and dropped toward the planet. He’d made the flight to the mound several times after the initial visit. However, in subsequent trips, they’d been overflights to investigate bot activity. These flights were strictly to monitor and report on the bots. Despite the temptation to eliminate them, all pilots were restricted from operating beam weapons within fifty kilometers of the mound.
At the mound, Franz hovered a hundred meters above the surface, while Chandra landed and the Dischnya deployed. The warriors circled the mound and scanned the clearing.
“All clear,” Homsaff called to Franz over her portable comm, and he descended to land near Chandra’s ship.
Z and Miranda exited the traveler first. Alex, Renée, Tatia, Julien, and Miriamette followed. Franz, Chandra, and Miriamtess remained aboard their ships. Then the SADEs helped the Toralians off Franz’s traveler.
Alex replied.
Alex’s attention had been momentarily diverted. It required Julien to redirect his attention.
The governors were trudging up the mound. It wasn’t a race, but they appeared anxious not to be the last.
Alex joined Sargut and Taralum. “What do you think is the purpose of that?” he asked, gesturing toward the governors.
“One aspect of their visit has become clear to me,” Sargut replied. “They seek to challenge my authority, my claim, to the home world by ascending the mound and undergoing the Change.
The group’s attention was captured by the sizzle of a plasma rifle. Z had detected ground vibration. He sent in the open to the Dischnya’s ear comms, “Hessan, five meters directly in front of you.”
Knowing how fast the bots erupted, Hessan had aimed his weapon a half-meter above the ground and triggered it. The bot jumped out of the ground into the blast of energy.
“I thought they’d already experienced the Change, when they assumed their colonies’ governorships,” Renée wondered aloud, ignoring the noise of the Dischnya yipping at Hessan’s skill. She was determined to observe this historic event from the vantage point of standing close to Alex. It wasn’t the safest place, but it was close to it.
“It’s complicated,” Taralum replied, her head twisting to the side at the sound of a second round of plasma fire. “The colony’s original governor, the Toralian who claimed the planet, would have undergone the Change. The others … the others inherited it.”
Taralum’s answer didn’t clarify the issue for Alex and Renée, and Taralum raised her hands palms upward, as if to say it’s too difficult to explain to another race.
“Do you think anything will happen to them?” Alex asked.
“Unknown, Alex,” Sargut replied, as the governors reached the mound’s top. “This is entirely new in the history of Toralians.”
“But it’s clear to you that their coming here isn’t a goodwill visit?” Alex pressed.
“Oh, yes,” Sargut replied. “They wish to displace me.”
“Incoming,” Tatia said sharply.
Alex swiveled around, sweeping Renée behind him. Two small hover bots, not more than thirty centimeters in diameter dove at Alex and his small group.
In a blur of motion, Z and Miranda flew in front of Alex and Tatia and swatted the bots out of the air and then stomped on them.
“They move so fast for being so large,” Taralum said in admiration.
The governors remained on the mound top. By their furtive hand motions, it was clear that arguments raged. When they finally descended, they were a despondent group. At the bottom, their demeanor shifted to one of determination, and they ignored the bot remains they were required to step around or over.
The governors arranged themselves in front of Sargut, except for Sunnamis, who hung back.
“No symptoms of the Change?” Sargut asked politely.
“That wasn’t our purpose,” Durgat replied.
“But you’ve forgotten to record your ascension of the mound,” Suntred pointed out.
“It can be done later,” Tortred retorted.
“President Sargut, it’s the governors’ decision that we’ll rule as Talus’s council,” Durgat stated firmly. “You’ll be honored for your achievements, but there will be no place for you on the council.”
“You forget my Change will be evident to everyone,” Sargut pointed out.
“We’ve a way to deal with that,” Somgut declared. “You’ll have your earned rank of fleet commander, and you’ll sail —”
“I’ve an agreement with the Sisterhood,” Sargut interrupted.
“Toralians do not make agreements with digital entities, and the council will not be required to honor yours,” Tortred said heatedly. “Artifice should have taught you that.”
“You should reconsider your positions,” Sargut said politely but determinedly. He waited, but the governors, by their silence, appeared adamant.
“You give me no choice,” Sargut said forcefully. “You’re no longer welcome on this planet or in this system. You’ll be returned to your ships, and I expect you to depart immediately.”
“You haven’t the authority,” Durgat railed. He was angry that his agents weren’t at hand. He would have ordered them to stun the upstart president into submission.
“Governors, you heard the president,” Alex said, in a strong, clear voice, which Julien translated.
The governors suddenly found Z and Miranda at their backs. The SADEs indicated the traveler the governors were to board. With no means of resisting and Sargut refusing to engage in debate, the governors sullenly trooped to the waiting ship. Twin plasma blasts from the warriors punctuated their departure.
Despite Miriamette’s desire to toss the visitors aboard, she refrained and deposited them in the hatch opening, as if they were honored guests.
The return flight aboard Franz’s traveler was marked by silence. Only implants and comms communicated.
Miriamette sent.
Miriamette regarded Alex. She wondered if and when his leadership position would turn him.
The cabin lights in Franz’s traveler came up when the ship landed aboard the Toral orbital station. Alex and Julien walked to the front of the main cabin. Alex linked with Julien so his message would be simultaneously translated and shared with all parties.
In quick order, the others filed off the traveler, and the agents were ushered into the bay and helped aboard.
As Alex walked down the aisle, Sunnamis touched his arm, whispered, and withdrew her hand.
When the other Omnians were off the ship, Z stationed himself at the front of the main cabin, faced the governors and agents, and locked his avatar. Miranda did the same at the traveler’s rear.
Alex and his group were in the orbital platform’s corridors, when Franz cleared the bay and made for the rim.
“Now what?” Sargut asked. He had been disoriented by the governors’ attitudes and actions, and he could sympathize with Miriamette. He couldn’t believe that his nascent society’s first challenge came from his own race.
Sargut, Taralum, and Suntred had waited patiently, recognizing the Omnians were communicating privately.
“Apologies, Sargut,” Alex said, “I was preparing our scout ships to monitor the governors’ ships.”
“To ensure they leave?” Suntred asked.
“No,” Alex replied, “to track their departing vectors and to watch and see who returns.”