Sojourn
Page 31
“Your strategy was successful, Admiral Thompson,” Dortagut replied. “My congratulations.”
“Thank you, Commander. We’d like to speak to the governor,” Ellie requested.
“The governor and the council are returning to this ship now, Admiral,” Dortagut replied. “How do I contact you when they arrive?”
“Broadcast in the open, Commander, and we’ll intercept your comm,” Ellie replied. Then she asked Genoa to link her with Sotagar. When the commander answered, Ellie regarded Sargut and motioned toward the bridge audio pickup.
“Commander Sotagar, this is President Sargut. We appreciate your fleet’s assistance. I’d like to know the directives you’ve received from your new governor or council.”
“The governor’s replacement hasn’t been selected, as of yet,” Sotagar replied. “My orders came from the council.”
“And what are your orders, Commander, if I might ask?” Sargut inquired.
“To protect and preserve the Toralian home world,” Sotagar replied.
“What about the nascent Toralian society?” Hector asked.
“I’ve no directives concerning it,” Sotagar replied.
“And Omnian technology?” Ellie pursued.
There was hesitation on Sotagar’s part to respond.
“You told your council about our technology, didn’t you?” Ellie charged.
“I did,” Sotagar admitted.
“And they want it,” Ellie pursued.
“Yes, they do,” Sotagar replied.
“Then you either have the council’s imperatives about our technology or you don’t, Commander. I require your response,” Sargut said sternly. A short, sharp whistle followed his request.
“I do, but I’m loath to state them or follow them,” Sotagar said.
“Does the council expect you to steal them?” Ellie asked. She was flabbergasted by the concept.
With a great, deep sigh, which ended in a whistle, Sotagar related the entire conversation that he had with his council.
When Sotagar finished, Sargut was at a loss for words, but Ellie was laughing so hard that she was doubled over. When she recovered, she sent,
Hector smiled at Ellie’s response, which confused Sargut.
“Can I assume that what my council believes is possible is actually impossible?” Sotagar asked. He was still trying to comprehend the admiral’s reaction. At first, he thought she was suffering a respiratory attack, but it was too coincidental to his embarrassing admission.
“Yes, Commander,” Ellie said, having been able to take a deep breath, “you won’t understand how the parts work or how they were manufactured.”
“And for your information, Commander, if the idea occurred to your council to kidnap a sister,” Hector challenged, “you should be aware that her human-like avatar could separate your head from your body with one hand.”
Ellie and Sargut stared at Hector. Ellie suspected the avatar’s strength, but she had never heard a SADE confirm it. For Sargut’s part, his concept of SADEs dramatically changed for the better. He liked the thought that the sisters contrasted and complemented the Toralians’ fragile statures.
Aboard the lead battleship, Sotagar, who was in his cabin, swallowed a suddenly dry throat. A council member had foolishly made that exact same suggestion, and he was pleased when other members disabused him of the notion.
“Well, Commander, now that we’ve a clear understanding of each other’s position, you may sail your fleet to Toral, if the president doesn’t object,” Ellie said.
“I’ve no objections,” Sargut added. “I look forward to introducing the commander to some of our citizens … namely our sisters.”
Sotagar whistled softly, and Ellie said, “See you at Toral, Commander,” and Hector closed the connection.
“Yes, Commander,” Ellie said, when the link went active.
“The governor and the council members are aboard, Admiral,” Dortagut replied. “They’d like to speak to President Sargut.”
“The president is standing beside me, Commander. They can speak to him, if they’re ready,” Ellie said.
“President Sargut, this is Governor Sunnamis. We’re pleased to have vanquished your aggressors.”
Sargut caught Ellie’s frown. It amplified his thoughts. The governor and the council were advancing positions of superiority to place pressure on his budding society.
“Yes, Governor Sunnamis, your commander fully cooperated with Admiral Thompson. It enabled us to frighten the aggressors into running away, and this was accomplished without your fleet firing a single missile.”
Ellie grinned and Sargut felt redeemed.
“It was a fortunate encounter,” Sunnamis allowed. “Now we’re ready to sail to Toral. We’ll see you in three to four cycles.”
“Aren’t you forgetting something, Sunnamis?” Sargut said sternly.
“I assume we’re welcome, President Sargut,” Sunnamis replied good-naturedly.
“It’s both polite and standard protocol to request permission to visit, Governor. This isn’t a Toralian colony. While we haven’t selected a new name, we’re a new society of Toralians and Omnian sisters.”
“We understand that, President Sargut, and, of course, we’re requesting to be allowed to sail to Toral,” Sunnamis replied.
“And the purpose of your visit, Governor?” Sargut asked, falling back on the ancient protocols.
“Trade, President Sargut,” Sunnamis replied.
“Then be welcome in our system,” Sargut replied formally.
After Hector closed the connection, Ellie eyed Sargut until he asked in mock earnestness, “Are my wings crooked?”
Ellie clapped her hands and whistled, and Hector joined in with a trumpet blast. It was the first humorous remark they’d ever heard from Sargut. And the president whistled his pleasure at the response he’d received for his effort.
“It’s a pleasant feeling to feel safe again, if only for a short while,” Hector said, expressing the thought they all had.
“Hector is right about one thing, Sargut,” Ellie said. “The fighting is over for now. It’s your turn at the forefront, and you have guests. How do you want to handle them?”
“Negotiations for trade on this scale are coming faster than we’re prepared to handle,” Sargut said.
Then a thought occurred to Sargut, and his dark eyes focused on Ellie. “You must have observed Alex deal with these situations. What would he do?” he asked.
Ellie flinched. She’d recalled Alex’s meeting with the Dischnya queens at the Fissla. The treacherous actions of a queen and a wasat had nearly cost Alex his life. She shook off the memory and considered Sargut’s request.
“First, Alex wouldn’t deal with secondaries,” Ellie said.
“Nor absent decision makers,” Hector interjected. “He’d want them in front of him.”
“And he’d stack the deck in his favor,” Ellie added.
Sargut heard Hector’s translation in his ear comm, and he flashed his pointed teeth. He hadn’t understood the reference, but then he realized it wasn’t necessary.
“When the colonial fleets arrive, I’ll leave it to the two of you to make the arrangements and invite the necessary parties,” Sargut said, happy to delegate. “I presume we’ll host our guests aboard this ship,” he added.
Hector grinned, and said, “Of course, President Sargut, and I’m sure that Sunnamis, the council, and Sotagar will find our accommodations innervating.”
“As I would hope,” Sargut replied. When he exited the bridge, his wings were fluttering.
“Hector, we’ll need food for our guests, and we need to give Miriamette a heads-up about the impending meetings,” Ellie said. “Then you and I have some planning to do.”
* * *
On the first morning of tra
de negotiations, a traveler picked up Taralum from the Dark Whispers and headed for Sotagar’s heavy. After landing, Taralum monitored Sotagar’s entrance into the battleship’s bay via a holo-vid held by a sister, and she delighted in letting the commander search for the traveler’s entrance.
“Now,” said Taralum, when Sotagar had completed a full revolution of the traveler. She heard Sotagar’s soft whistle escape his teeth, when he leapt back in surprise from the hatch opening.
“Think on that, Commander,” Taralum said softly. She rose and cordially greeted Sotagar from the hatch. “Please stand back, Commander. The sister will help you navigate the hatch steps.”
After Sotagar boarded, Taralum introduced the sister and settled comfortably into her previous seat. She glanced languidly at Sotagar, who stood in the aisle.
“Take your time in a seat until it learns about you,” Taralum said. It wasn’t an accurate description of the way nanites worked, but this was part of the grand plan. Taralum, for one, was thoroughly enjoying her role.
The pilot visited the other Toralian battleship and picked up Sunnamis, Dortagut, and the five council members. This information was sent to Hector to warn of the count of eight attendees.
When the traveler landed aboard the Our People, there was no one to greet them. Taralum and the sister led the entourage to the bridge. They did take a slightly roundabout way of getting there. Notably the visitors were led past the shops and eateries before they walked through the grand park. The newcomers craned their necks to take in the flowering shrubbery, tall trees, streams, and the throng scattered about the park.
At the bridge, the guests were taken aback by its size. It was like everything on the ship, which imitated a dome, if not a planet’s surface. Moreover, they were intrigued by a Toralian, who had his back to them. He was using his hands to manipulate an image of Toral’s surface that floated in the air.
“President Sargut, your guests are here,” Taralum said politely.
“Oh, is it that time already?” Sargut replied, turning around.
Sunnamis had warned the others what to expect, but she could see by their shocked expressions that her words were insufficient. They were unprepared for the extent of the Change as seen in Sargut.
“Commander, please escort our visitors to the conference room. As soon as I finish reviewing our progress on the planet, we’ll begin,” Sargut said and turned back to the holo-vid.
The guests hesitated briefly to watch Sargut manipulate the imagery and zoom from a thousand meters above the planet to a view about ten meters high. All the while, the imagery retained quality resolution. Then Taralum guided the visitors off the bridge.
Sunnamis had to give Sargut credit. She saw through his performance and intended to let the council know that they were viewing a demonstration designed for them. A thought crossed her mind, as they walked through the city-ship’s wide corridors. She wondered how much the Omnians were assisting the president’s presentation. It doesn’t matter, Sargut, she thought. You haven’t our negotiation skills.
In the conference room, Taralum and the sister seated the eight guests on one side of a long table. Servers laid out fresh fruit from the planet and tubed drinking glasses of water.
When Ellie and Hector thought the eight had enough time to discuss what they’d seen, they made their entry.
Sargut and Taralum went through the door first. They were followed by Hector and Ellie, who were dressed in midnight blue Omnian uniforms. Miriamette and Lydia in their human-type avatars were next. For visual effect and to lend their expertise, Alphons and Adrianna were the seventh and eighth attendees.
If the newcomers’ eyes hadn’t popped at the sight of the New Terran’s heavy-worlder bodies, they certainly did when Queen Homsaff entered.
Sargut and his companions stood across the table from their guests, who jumped up for introductions. The guests had difficulty focusing their attention. Their eyes continually swept toward the New Terrans, and they couldn’t help furtive glances at Homsaff, who deliberately twitched her erect tail above her head.
Sargut’s introductions took some time and were constantly interrupted. Terms like SADE, sister, city-ship, New Terran, Confederation, Méridien, Haraken, Omnian, Dischnya, and queen needed explanation.
As everyone sat, Sargut and Taralum settled into their seats with ease. They’d been in the room earlier and prepared them.
“Wonderful chairs, aren’t they?” Sargut said, visibly enjoying the sensation. “Nanites … Omnian,” he added.
Glancing across the table, his eyes traveling down the row of guests, Sargut said, “Well, what can I do for you?”
The negotiations proceeded slowly. While they did, Lydia communicated with Hector.
Lydia sent privately to Hector. During the battles, she’d deliberately stayed off the bridge so as not to interfere with crucial operations.
Lydia halted most of her applications. She hadn’t considered that her attendance would affect the process. Hector’s words gave her a new perspective — her increased worth as a mobile entity.
Lydia sent to Hector, and she settled back to watch and listen.
At one point, Sargut heard the term Toralians one too many times, as if they were the sole occupants of the planet below.
“Let me stop you there,” Sargut said, interrupting a council member. “Around this table, you’ve been introduced to a variety of individuals, who have been identified by their birth planets. However, when you speak to Commander Taralum, Leader Miriamette, and me, you should know that collectively we’re Talusians. That’s who you’re addressing.”
Sargut and his companions watched their guests’ mouths open and hang there. That Sargut was denying his role as a Toralian and adopting that of a Talusian shocked them. It took a moment for them to recover.
As the day proceeded, it was evident that the governor, council, and commanders wanted to draw out the negotiations. At the top of their requests was a desire to tour and experience Omnian technology. In this manner, they said they could gain a greater idea of what was available to them.
Dortagut and Sotagar insisted on riding aboard Tridents and travelers to observe their military capabilities.
Sargut and Ellie organized tours and urged every individual to be accommodating to their guests.
Sunnamis and the other Toralians were taken aback that the Omnians were so generous in exposing every aspect of their tremendously advanced technology.
When negotiations resumed, the guests were promised samples of nearly every piece of Omnian technology. Then they were given a list of those items and their quantity purchase price. In return, the Talusians expected to receive quantities of raw material at market price for a guaranteed period of three annuals.
As details were explored, a sticking point emerged. As Sargut suspected, it was the subject of immigration and Ellie’s objection to the guests’ demands for warships. The council was adamant that, without the offer of warships, immigration to Talus would be curtailed.
Worse, the council didn’t want to purchase warships. They wanted to have the Talusians set up manufacturing sites on the colony and teach their citizens how to construct the warships.
Tensions escalated the longer the impasse remained unresolved, and Sargut feared the negotiations were about to end. His miniscule society of about six thousand citizens couldn’t develop an entire planet and its system. He needed hun
dreds of thousands of citizens to augment the population, and his visitors knew it.
One evening after the talks ended and the Toralians had hinted at returning to their respective colonies, Hector, Ellie, Sargut, Miriamette, and Lydia retired to discuss the impending breakdown.
“What’s the possibility that the other governors and councils will think the same as Sunnamis and her council?” Ellie asked.
“Even if they thought differently before, they won’t by the time Sunnamis speaks to them,” Sargut replied.
“Now I understand why Alex didn’t trust Sunnamis,” Ellie commented.
“Can the governors forbid their citizens to travel here?” Hector asked.
“It wouldn’t be done overtly by a declaration,” Sargut replied, “but passenger liners wouldn’t sail here for fear of council repercussions. Discouraging stories of Talus would be freely circulated to convince citizens of the error of choosing to immigrate here. We could expect a few intrepid individuals to make their way to our system, but our need is for many not a few.”
“What are our options?” Lydia asked.
“I don’t see any,” Sargut replied dispiritedly. “Essentially, the Toralians are standing firm that they be given the ability to manufacture Omnian technology, or we’ll have no population for our planet.”
Hector, Lydia, and Ellie noted that Sargut, Taralum, and Miriamette no longer referred to themselves as Toralians. That term was applied exclusively to the visitors.
Over a short period of time, Genoa reported the arrival of the Freedom and the entire Omnian fleet.
“Perhaps Alex didn’t encounter the Dutterites,” Sargut suggested, after Hector finished translating.
Hector, Ellie, Lydia, and Miriamette regarded the president, and their individual forms of laughter resounded.
“Sargut, Alex went to speak to the Gotlians and find the Dutterites,” Ellie said, laying a gentle hand on the Talusian’s shoulder. “He’s here because he’s done both of those things.”