by S. H. Jucha
* * *
Nearly three months after leaving Talus, the powerful Omnian fleet exited its transit outside the water world’s system.
“Julien,” Alex said, while they stood on the Freedom’s bridge.
In a Gotlian battleship bay, three crew members stared in surprise at the Omnian communication device. A voice requested their leader, except it sounded like Di-Orsoo making the request. They stared at one another and then were suddenly galvanized. The team leader hurried to the comm system and called for the captain.
The Gotlian leaders, the fleet commander, and the ship’s captain responded to the team leader’s call. They entered the bay and hurried across to the Omnian device.
“This is Di-Orsoo,” the leader said to the device. He felt a little foolish to be standing in a bay and speaking to an alien device that was planted on the deck.
“Greetings, Di-Orsoo. This is Julien,” the SADE said. “We hope that we’ve found you and your citizens well.”
“The waters cradle us,” Di-Orsoo replied happily, adding a loud belch. His hopes that the Omnians would return had been realized, and he felt vindicated. Then he doubted his assumption, because he didn’t know Julien’s location.
“Where are you, Julien?” Di-Orsoo asked.
“Our fleet is entering the space above the water world. Eventually, you’ll receive our imagery, but we wanted to contact you first.” Julien said.
“We’re pleased that you returned,” Di-Orsoo replied. His tentacles danced. “You’ve come to help us, haven’t you?”
“As our leader promised,” Julien replied.
“You’re a … good neighbor,” Di-Orsoo said, struggling to recall the new phrase he’d learned.
It was an accurate enough pronunciation that Julien recognized it. “Do you have immediate needs?” the SADE asked.
“Julien, allow me to introduce myself. I’m Leader Ba-Geesaa. I’m afraid I pushed the limits on the battleship that brought our citizens and supplies from Gotl. We’ve had to abandon the ship.”
“I understand,” Julien replied. “This was the ship that was absent, when we last visited. Please identify this ship by pulling the fleet away from it. We’ll see to its needs when we arrive. Anything else?”
“You’ll find your repairs challenging, Julien,” Di-Orsoo said. “The ship’s passageways are filled with cargo.”
“Your warning is appreciated,” Julien replied and closed the comm.
Sa-Foosee burped his humor.
“What is it?” Commander Or-Deebaa asked the captain.
“The Omnians spoke to us through this device,” Sa-Foosee replied.
“As we heard; what of it?” Ba-Geesaa asked in demanding tones, cutting the captain off.
Di-Orsoo held up a hand to halt the captain’s explanation. “I’ve learned a lesson from the Omnians, Ba-Geesaa, that ignorance is dangerous and can be deadly,” he said. “Therefore, I encourage our officers and crews to share their thoughts with me. It prevents me from harming our citizens.”
Ba-Geesaa blanched at the rebuke. He prepared to belch his outrage until he caught the silent stares of the Gotlians who surrounded him. It was obvious that events had transpired in this system that had a profound effect on those facing him and probably the entire fleet. The eyes that watched him were unwavering and expectant. Ba-Geesaa cleared his throat and said, “I believe I interrupted you, Captain.”
Sa-Foosee tipped his head in appreciation and continued. “Julien said that the Omnian fleet had just arrived. He said their imagery would appear to us later. If they’re that far out, the telemetry will be recorded much later, but Julien spoke to us immediately, and we spoke to him, as if he stood beside us.”
Ba-Geesaa nodded and said, “You’re correct, Di-Orsoo. To encourage ideas is to learn. Our race has been isolated far too long. We’ve forgotten how to elicit an exchange of ideas.”
* * *
“Alex, the Gotlian fleet has isolated the target ship,” Julien reported.
Alex nodded and sent,
When the Omnian fleet reached the water world, several cargo shuttles exited the Freedom and accessed the isolated battleship via the only open bay.
Mickey, Miriam, and Luther were the first off the traveler. Like all the humans in the group, Mickey wore an environment suit.
The first thing that caught Mickey’s attention was the condition of the bay. There’d been room for four travelers in the battleships’ bays, when they repaired them earlier. In this bay, only two travelers were able to land. The remainder of the bay was crowded with long, oddly shaped bundles.
By now, Gotlian ship repairs were a simple exercise for Omnian engineering. It took Mickey’s teams four days to resurrect the battleship’s environmental systems, including some engine systems’ maintenance.
When the ship’s repairs were completed, the SADEs began inventorying. Immediately, they encountered a problem. There was no identification on any bundle. Nothing was crated. Everything was wrapped in sturdy fabric and strapped.
The SADEs used imagery to categorize and count the cargo they uncovered. They mapped the battleship, as they moved through every level, bow to stern. Every door opened. Every storeroom checked. Every cabin searched. Every storage compartment investigated, and every bay inventoried. Nothing was overlooked.
Julien and Cordelia monitored the transmissions from Mickey’s travelers, building a database of the images. They tagged each item with its dimensions and the ship’s location.
Alex studied the accumulating imagery, and he started laughing. “That’s the extent of the data?” he asked rhetorically.
“I believe the Gotlians did the best they could,” Julien commented. “If we needed further proof of this race’s desperateness, I think we’ve found it.”
“Julien, Di-Orsoo, please,” Alex requested.
There was a brief delay, while they waited for the leader to respond.
“This is Di-Orsoo,” the leader replied.
“It’s been difficult to survey the planet,” Di-Orsoo replied. “Our kites need firm surfaces and favorable winds. We’ve made a few attempts, but we’
ve lost the swimmers each time they entered the water.”
“This can be done,” Di-Orsoo replied. He belched an order to the bridge crew.
“The ship will orient its bow toward your nearest oval ship,” Di-Orsoo replied. “You’ll meet the members of the survey team there. They will be three in number.”
“Search the waters, of course. Test the bottom strata,” Di-Orsoo replied.
“The swimmers have their clawed hands and feet. That’s the extent of their defenses,” Di-Orsoo replied. “If you can help, we’d be in your debt. If not, and they don’t return to your platform, visit the same ship and collect additional citizens.”
Alex and Julien were aghast at the sacrifice the Gotlians were prepared to make to establish a foothold on the planet. Then it occurred to Alex that he’d sacrificed many more of the fleet’s personnel to protect his and other races.
Di-Orsoo continued, and said, “Julien, you’ll recall that I warned you about how other races have reacted to our appearance. Will humans be involved in support of your efforts?”
Di-Orsoo burped and belched at the irony that both races might cower at the sight of each other.
When Julien closed the links, he gazed at Cordelia and Alex.
“Well, we’re not letting the Gotlians leap into those waters without trying to protect them,” Alex stated adamantly. “Think on that, Julien, while I get them a platform.”
-32-
Architects
Teague, Ginny, Gerald, Gil, Ian, and Yoyo comprised the RT team aboard the Sojourn’s exploratory shuttle. Orly was the pilot. Bethany and Smitty provided security, and Willem was the translator.
The specialized cargo shuttle was the one that had been trapped below the surface. In its present state, it was completely rebuilt with some minor updates — lessons learned.
Orly slid the traveler out of the Sojourn’s bay and headed for the ship Alex had described. Bethany, Smitty, and Yoyo checked their environment suits in case they were required to use them.
A battleship’s open bay beckoned to Orly, and he landed the traveler inside. After pressurization, Orly dropped the rear ramp.
The Haraken crew watched through the ship’s controller, as the Gotlians exited the airlock, crossed the bay, and stood at the ramp’s bottom. They heard the individual in the middle belch a comment to his companions.
Willem belched a reply, saying, “Good neighbors help each other regardless of appearances.”
The Gotlians burped their assent and climbed aboard.
Willem signaled the ramp closed, and Orly launched the traveler from the bay, when its doors opened. Then he dropped toward the surface.
The waters were quiet today, and Orly stationed the ship four meters above the surface. Then he lowered the ramp until it was level with the ship’s interior.
“Your platform,” Willem said in Gotlian, gesturing to the ramp.
The Gotlians’ tentacles danced excitedly, as they walked to the edge of the ramp.
Ian and Yoyo, with the help of Teague and Ginny, readied some aqua-drones. They slipped two overboard.
Immediately, the drones, which were operated via the ship’s controller, produced a stereoscopic view of the sea bottom. The imagery was displayed on the holo-vid.
The Gotlians belched in surprise and crowded around the device.
Willem relayed the details that the drones and the ship were providing. An update to the explorer shuttle allowed emanations from the hull to feedback soundings of the bottom and provide water depth, while the drones displayed topography.
The Gotlians entered into a lengthy discussion with Willem. They’d understood the data and determined the location to be unsuitable. Then they requested Willem move the ship toward more promising areas.
When the drones’ power crystals were drained, they had to be recovered. Bethany and Smitty held the legs of Yoyo and Ian, who hung over the ramp to snatch the drones from the sea. Then Teague and Ginny dropped two more overboard.
After half a day, the group broke for a meal. Humans accessed the ship’s food dispenser, and Gotlians opened a container, fished out squirming sea food, and swallowed the creatures whole.
When there was still more than three hours left of light, the Gotlians called a halt to the work. They told Willem that they had to return to the ship. He understood that their suits needed refreshing, and they needed their pools.
The RT team recovered the latest drone pair. Then Orly closed the ramp and made for the survey team’s battleship. Willem assured the Gotlians that the search would resume the next day, and it would begin precisely where it had ended.
While the Sojourn’s exploration shuttle hosted the survey team for the day, the SADEs finished inventorying the Gotlians’ cargo load.
“I’m here, Julien,” Or-Deebaa said.
“For what purpose?” Or-Deebaa asked.
There was a long pause, and Alex and Julien wondered if the request was exceeding Or-Deebaa’s authority to act.
“Where would this interaction take place?” Or-Deebaa requested.
“Our citizens can’t be away from our ships for more than a third of a cycle. Their suits and they must be refreshed,” Or-Deebaa said.
“The citizens you require are aboard this ship, Julien,” Or-Deebaa said. “How many are needed?”
“I see your need,” Or-Deebaa replied, with a burp. “The engineers will be made available tomorrow, whenever you call.”
Alex sent to Julien,
Alex belatedly realized his last directive was unnecessary. His excuse was that it was late and had been a busy day. He closed the desk monitor, turned off the light, yawned, and made his way to the bed and Renée.
While Alex and company were seated at morning meal, Miriam and Luther landed aboard the commander’s ship and picked up two Gotlians. Cordelia reported the traveler was inbound, and Alex and Mickey hurried to consume their food.
When Alex and Mickey wiped their mouths and rose, so did every other indivi
dual at the head table. Alex frowned, and Tatia retorted, “You don’t think we’re going to miss this opportunity, do you? We’ll get to meet the Gotlians face-to-face instead of viewing implant recordings.>
Julien needn’t have worried. The survey team had forewarned the engineers. To quote a Gotlian, who had been aboard the Sojourn’s shuttle, “Guard your reactions to the humans. With their head toppings and pale, smooth skin, they resemble giant blemmies. They look good enough to eat.>
Alex, his staff, and several SADEs were on hand to greet the Gotlian engineers, when they entered the Freedom’s bridge.
“Alex, we’ve seven hours before the Gotlians must be returned to their ship,” Miriam stated. Then she introduced Alex and Mickey to the engineers.
“It’s your show, Mickey,” Alex said, sweeping a hand toward the holo-vid, which Cordelia had activated.
Mickey had preplanned his presentation with Cordelia. The holo-vid lit with a display of various images of cargo pieces from the database.
With that communication, Alex stepped between Renée and the Gotlians. He gestured politely toward the holo-vid.
When the Gotlian engineers focused on the display, they burped in recognition of their cargo pieces.
Mickey used his hands to grasp several parts and attempted to fit them together. Naturally, they didn’t, but he kept trying with other pieces.
The Gotlians caught on to the problem, as engineers would, and they approached the holo-vid. Mickey backed off, and the Gotlians tentatively inserted their gloved hands into the display and fitted several parts together. Then they searched the images for other pieces.
