The Progenitors

by J. E. Andrews

  Scott and the other man, his father, I think, moved to one side. Picking up a utensil from the table Scott listened to a report, all in that language.

  "Nothing works, sirs," said the man, speaking quietly. "We've seen these devices in use but they don't work for us. They are undoubtedly keyed to the owner or the species. Even the smallest makes no response."

  "Damn it to the fifth dimension," said the father. "We can't go bust on this. What else? You're holding something back."

  "Well, sirs," he said. "There's nothing from the devices, no energy signature and no chemical readings. There's no way to open them or scratch their surface. Whatever the bonding technology, it works on the sub-atomic level. We can't touch it."

  "We knew all of that," Scott said, angrily. "The difference is having her. It's keyed to her. We make her unlock it all."

  "Abducting her was premature," the father said. "You should have stayed concealed and gained their confidence, gotten deeper."

  "There isn't any deeper," Scott said. "They are primitive. They don't know the value of the tech they have."

  "No, you squandered your chance; you've rushed when you should have had more patience."

  "The planet is a gold mine," Scott sad. "My hand was scorched to the bone and the stupid cat used sap to heal it. You saw. I nearly died gaining the confidence of a cat, eating maggots and roots, blah. With that cat leading me into the city they accepted me. But they were watching me, too. They were suspicious and I didn't want to risk their retaliation."

  I heard his fear.

  "They wouldn't find you out," the father said. "How could they? It was all real."

  "We need to do something about this tech, sirs," the other man said.

  "Fine," said Scott. "I should still be able to access that aircar. I'll give it another try."

  They left me alone. I could escape but there were security monitors scanning me. The suit detected the scans and told me with tiny pricks along my jaw. I had yet to find the depth of this action.

  Considering the past, I'd not been mistaken about Scott's mother's death. Mother and child share scents. She'd killed two…

  Oh…

  I had a sudden memory.

  Many languages we'd learned came from the feline traders, the WiRasshitearla. They were our closest ally. They were honorable and savage, even though their tech was aged and worn. They did not care about advancing tech just for the sake of it.

  Trading gave languages, history lessons, the political maps and details of the other star cultures. The owners of this language had been deemed unlikely callers but dangerously covetous. A summation of their history opened in my mind, giving me an insight I could've survived without. It revealed how likely it was that Scott's mother was used to make the crash appear authentic. The item that had nagged me from the first was thereby resolved.

  They had intended he survive to be brought into our house. Likely they'd believed we'd send an aircar to investigate. They knew little about us.

  Scott's father was correct, though, his fear had ruined their chance.

  If I were a Master I could slip through the wrist restraints. I did not have that control. I would wait. The suit would overcome the restraints. It was intelligent, with its slow steady consideration of problems, enough so that it would solve most problems on its own. Unlike instantaneous battle reactions, unfamiliar or passive situations set it into a different mode of reaction.

  I smiled. What would Scott think of this artifact of the Progenitors? Such nanotech was created even before we Shymyra. As it worked, I contemplated what knowledge or justice was required. We had unresolved concerns. I was in a position to learn the facts.

  *

  From Scott's demeanor he failed with the aircar again. I knew he couldn't succeed. Too many attempts would cause it to go into a protective mode.

  I was not certain I would survive.

  Whatever the outcome, I would bring justice.

  "It didn't do anything," Scott was saying in his native language.

  "These creatures have been underestimated time and again," one man said. "That's why we created this setup. The infiltration of normal spies or tech has never worked."

  "I haven't blown it," Scott said. "I'll make that creature talk."

  "It won't work," the other said. "Agents have tried. We've seen the transmissions. These creatures allow death before they reveal anything."

  "We need a few of their little cats," Scott said. "You didn't see how the death of those creatures affects them. Can we send a hunting party down?"

  At those words I felt anger flare up. I suppressed it, glad that none had been watching me. Even though scanners watched, my reaction escaped notice. I didn't want them knowing I knew their language. They left. Perhaps they knew I understood and were using it against me.

  They could not send a party down to hunt the Shymyra assulla. They wouldn't know the difference between assulla and Elluvel. Shymyra Elluvel were not as defenseless as the younger assulla. Still it wouldn't do me any good.

  My absence would be noted by now. The aircar was missed. The shuttle would have been noticed. It was even possible they knew exactly where I was. It would do me no good. We kept no space going vessels ready. All we had were sealed away… secret.

  I was on my own. It might make things easier, being alone. I tugged at my restraints a couple of times, not that it had effect on the metal straps but it reminded my suit to work on the release.

  The suit let me know it was ready. I considered options. I was safe although under threat. I didn't know enough. I needed my weapons. I could not give them time to harm Shymyra assulla. My bonds loosened. Searching the room I found none of my weapons. In the corridor my suit directed me to the left.

  A clamor of alarms throbbed through the ship. The intensity softened as the ear plugs protected me. Flashing lights down every direction made me hurry.

  Another hatch revealed my weapons. It also revealed several men playing with them.

  They'd glanced my way, startled by the alarm and my appearance. The suit was black to make it difficult to see me at night but here it just looked dark; unexpected. I continued in motion, pulling the hatch shut behind me and leaping across the room. I didn't strike the closer man but the second who was pulling a weapon of his own. I came down hard, stunning him.

  As I settled, I grabbed one of my blades, spun and tore into the neck of the other man. Then I killed the first.

  The third was heading for the hatch and I shot him. My blaster was designed to penetrate hardened battle armor and even at a low setting the shot tore through him and left a crater in the wall beyond. I gathered my weapon's sling, and then collected what had been removed. Nothing could be used by any but Shymyra, but they'd tried.

  I sent a message to the capitol telling where I was and my intention. I told them to destroy the ship before it could leave and destroy any ship or person from their home planet entering this system. I didn't wait for an acknowledgement but headed back into the corridor.

  The eyeshields closed as a stream of tiny projectiles danced and shattered across the doorway. It was a weapon called a needler, we forbade them. The needles are tiny compressed shards of a carbon monomer that penetrates and shatters. It is a very cruel weapon.

  The needles could not penetrate, but so many staggered me.

  I returned fire, leaving the gun on automatic, so it adjusted to an estimation of the target strength. Even the lowest setting blasted through. Two in alignment with a single shot were cut in half. The other two likewise fell.

  I needed to find answers, so I continued forward. They attacked again and again, once blasting me off my feet. They couldn't stand against my weapon. I continued to advance. They retreated though I cut them down regardless. It was a big ship with directional markings that helped me locate the command center when guides failed.

  A closed blast door slowed me. At three quarter power a beam of energy lanced out. At first it had no effect, licking at it as a hot knife to almus c
ake, it just touched the surface before the heat breached the surface layer and what lay behind flowed as liquid. In this case it glowed fiery red and dripped to the floor to dance away in hissing splatters.

  The ship was moving. The dance of the splatters showed fluctuating gravity fields.

  I moved the beam in a steady arc, into an ellipse as the center poured down onto the deck. Weapons fired through the hole. Then I was attacked from behind. Whatever hit me, threw me forward into the molten metal, onto my knees.

  I swung the gun around, firing before it adjusted.

  The powerful beam vaporized whoever had attacked and exploded their weapons.

  I rolled through the hole. A few fired until they died. I went forward. I didn't hear anything but I saw lights strobe in warning and equipment readouts blinking. A row of men sat at work. Glancing furtively at me they continued with their functions, keeping the ship going.

  In the command section, Scott was waiting.

  Aiming a small device at me he triggered it.

  Then he frowned. Shifting the aim to another man felled him and Scott quickly aimed it at me, adjusting some control. I snatched it from him and stunned him with a fist. I hung the device in a pouch and faced the five others in the command section. Two were frantically working at controls.

  I killed them first.

  Glancing at the system-view I saw the ship was outbound, passing the orbit of Khannos, the sixth planet, a gas giant. Lembellum would be showing soon as they were currently near synchronous orbits.

  "You have no right to attack this ship," said one of the uniformed men. "We're a sovereign ship of…"

  I knew where he was from and his death made it quiet. Scott's father stood staring at me with anger and hatred.

  "You'll die here as well as us, you selfish animal," he said in the trader tongue.

  "You first," I said in his native language.

  He appeared startled as he died. The last man standing shifted his eyes from my gun to my eyes.

  "What would you have of me?" he said calmly.

  He was the highest rank of this group. I considered the question. I didn't want his kind coming here again… none of his people, greedy for the technology of the Progenitors. Nothing he could do would prevent them. If I had him send a message it would have no impact.

  I fired. The through-shot destroyed more equipment.

  I looked at the control panels and guidance system. Lembellum was in sight. Nudging the controls in experimental taps soon aimed the ship for that planet.

  Then I turned to Scott. It was time to settle my curiosity. I removed his tunic and inner shirt and then tied him into a chair. I slapped him, striking sharply to awaken him.

  Groggily he looked around, blood at his mouth.

  "What are you doing?" he said in the standard trader language.

  I did not reply but examined his crystalline blue eyes.

  Scott glanced at the bodies. Then he noticed the forward view.

  "We're going to crash," he said.

  Scott was speaking the obvious, as he had done all along. Maybe it was then that I realized how distracting such a mannerism could be. When one only spoke of the obvious there was nothing shared, no evidence of intelligence or the inclination of heart or mind. It could be childish or cunning; either could fit.

  "Tell me why, Scott Aradette," I said.

  Licking his lips he noticed the blood… licked it. His eyes went to the forward view. Then he looked at me. The shields would distort his view of my eyes but the suit did not retract.

  "You wouldn't understand," he said. "You're an animal playing with toys of those greater than you. Playing… without exploring the full potential."

  At that statement he stopped himself and licked blood from his lip again.

  "You don't even know the…"

  This time he stopped when I wanted him to continue. These people had learned something. I picked the short knife from my belt.

  "Tell me what you know, Scott Aradette," I said.

  Eyeing the knife he tried to retreat.

  "Military ID 76291-33," he said, his nostrils widening as he struggled for breath. His chest clenched at the touch of the blade.

  I didn't have the sap I'd used in the desert. Scott repeated his military ID number… several times… louder and louder. I had to pause at one point to repel some attackers. They may have been attracted to his noise. I got all the answers I needed.

  Scott was mostly gibbering by then, sobbing. His eyes had locked onto the forward screen, staring at the looming image of Lembellum.

  I destroyed the controls and left him staring. I killed several more… as I made my way back to the shuttle bay. I was halfway through the ship when I heard a sound I hadn't expected. The three part chirp of sound was clear in my ear and I stopped. Someone had continued exploring my aircar.

  They'd penetrated just a little too far. I took a lateral corridor and found a section of curved hull. A two part chirp rang in my ear.

  I drew my gun. Setting it to maximum, I fired a short burst. The blast of energy tore a hole through the thick hull plates. The outward flood of atmospheric pressure launched me and I twisted, exiting the ship cleanly.

  A single chirp sounded.

  I holstered my gun, secured all my weapons even though they'd do me no good now. Turning my back on Lembellum, I tucked myself into a tight ball. I knew when the aircar exploded, even though I wasn't looking. Debris soon slammed me, pushing me away from the starship.

  I looked back.

  The glowing pieces of starship were still heading for the giant planet, some faster than others.

  Scott was dead by now.

  I wondered at some of his answers though, as I flew sunward. His real mother had died. All aboard were meant to be sacrificed for the sake of selling their scenario. At the last she rebelled, hoping to kill her own son where he'd been cocooned protectively, just so that it would fail. Women on his home world were used as breeders to increase the male population. They were treated like animals.

  I'd know it, factually, but hearing him scream the truth gave it more weight. Spies from his planet, under the guise of the corporation they fostered, scavenged technology from any civilization they could. They were adept at grading the potential of technology. My planet appeared to be worth the lives of an army to gain. Except that they couldn't gain a foothold. And they had no idea how they were constantly stymied.

  I drew a slow breath and looked at the stars to all sides of me.

  The distant light of Khennos was the brightest in the sky ahead. I would be out of air long before I reached his orbit. I changed, becoming the smallest creature I could, my hands becoming small limbs as I curled up, freeing my smaller legs. I huddled in the center of my bodysuit. It began shifting, folding itself over, dismissing gloves and boots, headgear and eyeshields. The weapon sling was tucked away. They were protected, especially the communicator with the data I'd gained.

  I changed one more time while I had the energy. Taking on a slither form, I rolled into a ball. The cold outside matched my heart. My breathing slowed, using the last of the air, and then stopped. My thoughts continued for a time.

  *

  I saw the Progenitors as they gave us charge over the planet, trusting us to renew what could be renewed. They gave us the tools and abilities to do what we could.

  The last ship stood like a crystal spire, the dazzle of its configuration already reaching for the distant stars.

  Istashalmarion leaned over me, turning to study me with one great eye.

  I felt the compassion and dread she harbored for giving us this charge. There was something in particular for me, communicated without words directly into my heart. Then one of her forehands reached to wrap about me in a gentle, cradling caress.

  "My Akena," she said, whispering, though all Shymyra heard her. "You are our strong one, in love, you must share that, teach it, even to the Masters for although they change at will their hearts yearn for more. You have more, Akena, i
n time we will return. The stars are too crowded here but when your wait is over, you shall have all that you ever need."

  I gasped as she gave me a gentle squeeze with that mighty hand. Then she turned and strode to the last ship, her great tail stiff with the feelings she couldn't dare express. As she climbed the ramp, the mighty metsaurian looked small beside the ship. She didn't look back and I didn't want her to.

  The ramp flowed upwards to cover the opening, becoming another part of the perfect shimmering dazzle of the hull. Lights fanned out to all sides in darting clusters returning in a race back to the ship, collecting in a cloud, a spiraling cloud of light.

  At first it lifted slowly, hand by hand.

  Then it was gone and only the streak of an afterimage lingered.

  I don't know how long we stood there, Shymyra Elluvel, all looking up.

  Maybe I was the first to look around, bringing my eyes to the others. I saw my brothers and sisters slowly look about to regard one another. Whatever time that took we did not measure nor account for it.

  Then I, again first, raised my veil, using the encom and pins in a manner we were taught to conceal ourselves. Never again would any but Shymyra see Shymyra in natural form. It was a command.

  "Why?" I had wondered once when alone with Istashalmarion.

  "Such secrecy will be your greatest protection and it will hold the longest, little Akena," she said and smiled gently.

  Even a gentle smile showed such teeth that one usually blinked to remember her heart.

  Still, I laughed with her at the joke we shared. Their great ships were gone from known space. From every planet across that crowded region the gentle race vanished. It was as in a single night to most other species. We knew that. The vanishing Metsaurians were one of the great mysteries of the star-powers, the civilization that slowly came to learn of us.

  And here we sit, guarding their homeworld, where their technology had grown to fruition.

  A dozen other species live here and we care for them as we wait.

  Their presence hides the truth of the Progenitors.

  One day they'll return.