by Adair Hart
Jane observed Andrew. His initial reaction earlier was unusual for someone like him. It was not often he was surprised. She stiffened when the room changed back to its blank slate. The only thing in the room besides them and their chairs was a light that hovered above them. She knew this meant the room was secured. Whatever was going to be said would not be recorded. “So … this Evaran Protocol … What is it?”
Andrew faced Jane. “I’m not supposed to say anything, but as you guessed by the change in theme, I’m going to. That’s actually part of the protocol. However, I trust you, so I’m going to fill you in. How much do you know about temporal mechanics?”
“Only what I studied,” said Jane with a shrug. “Outside of the actual science parts, it’s mostly conjecture.”
Andrew licked his lips as he paused for a moment. “What if I told you … it wasn’t?”
Jane narrowed her eyes. “Okay … what parts?”
“Rift doors, space-time rifts, and … time travelers.”
Jane chuckled. “There’s no evidence of any of that. I know the Kreagans purport to have some evidence of rifts, but they also say they can talk to great selectors.” Her smile wound down after a moment of silence. “You’re serious.”
“I’m afraid it’s all true. In this case, the Evaran Protocol refers to a time traveler. The fact that the protocol was initiated means he’s arrived somewhere nearby.”
Jane wrinkled her eyebrows. “Hypothetically, let’s assume he’s a time traveler. Why would he be here?”
“I don’t know,” said Andrew, shrugging. “But he is. That means he’s here to fix something, most likely.”
“So he travels through space and time and fixes things?”
“I know, it sounds crazy,” said Andrew. He cocked his head at Jane. “How well do you know your Fredorian history?”
“Fairly well. It’s not too complex,” said Jane. “It was a refugee planet for human slaves that had been freed. They became full trade partners with the Kreagans, and when Earth finally entered as a member state, they joined with them later to form the United Planets.”
“And … how do you think they became a full trade partner?”
Jane placed her hand on her chin with a finger over her lips. Her eyes looked upward and moved back and forth as she thought about it. She wagged a finger at Andrew. “It happened because of Andia Kiggs. She was uhh … an ambassador. A prime ambassador! And she found the Arkaron. It’s coming back to me now.”
“You know your history,” said Andrew. “So a prime ambassador found the Arkaron. Doesn’t that sound a bit unusual to you? The Kreagans had been looking for it for thousands of years, with the vast resources of a galactic empire, and yet, Andia Kiggs found it? Somehow?”
Jane exhaled from her nose. “So … you’re implying this Evaran person stepped in and helped her.”
Andrew raised a finger. “That was one event. He’s been involved in several others. The United Planets only started tracking events after it was formed, but some events prior to that were added. Those prior ones don’t have a lot of evidence, like the Fredorian one, but more than likely happened.”
“Huh,” said Jane. “So … what does the protocol actually say then?”
Andrew smirked. “For starters, we aren’t even supposed to have any recorded events, but that’s been violated. Other things include not mentioning anything about events to him unless he asks, keep his existence known as minimally as possible, and if he decides to interfere, help him if he asks.”
Jane noticed Andrew fidgeting in his seat. “This excites you, doesn’t it?”
“You know me … I love all this mysterious stuff. I know the Evaran Protocol and several other protocols by heart.”
Jane placed the palms of her hands in front of her and touched her lips with them. She pondered why Evaran was here. With pursed lips, she looked at Andrew. “You don’t think he’s here about the space habitat quarantine and illegal augment trade, do you?”
Andrew shook his head. “I don’t know, it’s possible.” He eyed Jane. “You’re thinking of contacting him, aren’t you?”
Jane smiled. “Am I that easy to read?”
“Maybe not to others,” said Andrew with a smile. “I can’t tell you what to do in your off hours, and I should tell you to stay away. However … maybe you can see what he’s up to.”
“You just want to meet him.”
Andrew chuckled. “Okay, maybe I do. Still, if he’s in the area, we do represent the United Planets, so if he does need help, we should offer it. There’s another aspect of his arrival that’s dangerous. He tends to attract the attention of powerful groups. If I got the message, or you in this case, you can be sure that they did too.”
Jane inspected Andrew for a moment. “I bet that was the communication spike in the underground. They’re probably wondering why he’s here too. They may even try to attack him.”
Andrew laughed. “From the outcomes of the events he’s been in and who he’s fought, they would be in a world of trouble if they did.”
“Where’s he headed? He’s not coming to Da Nesh, is he?”
“No, although that would be better than where he is going. Follisat.”
Jane drew her head back. “That’s a pretty dangerous place. I mean … I know new arrivals to the planet go there, but I would’ve thought they would have routed him somewhere better.” She knew that Follisat had a small United Planets presence. New arrivals tended to be sent there, since it was one of the major trade hubs with a viable spaceport, but it was also a place of corruption. It seemed to her that every Kalesh criminal organization, and even some alien ones, had a presence there. The difference between Follisat and Da Nesh was like night and day. “How’d they verify it was him?”
“Looking at the registration, it appears to be from a device given to him around 2635 BC. That was back when the Helians ran things.”
Jane’s eyes widened. “That’s … pretty incredible. The Helians have been gone for a long time.”
“Yeah … anyways, outside of what’s been discussed, are there any other updates?”
“Of course,” said Jane. She spent the next hour filling Andrew in on her current case workload. Although she was trying to focus on her presentation, her mind kept drifting to thoughts of Evaran. What if he was there to figure out what was going on with the quarantine? It was a high-profile event and one that spanned the solar system, from a corrupt corporation to powerful factions possibly being involved.
There was also her investigation into the illegal augment trade, which all pointed to the habitats. Maybe if she could convince Evaran to help her for professional reasons, she could also get help for a more personal matter: seeing where Chris died on the habitat and getting some closure. After she was done, she gave Andrew a hug as she always had since she was a kid, then exited the building. She headed toward the transportation hub with the intent of stopping by her apartment. If she was going to Follisat, she would need to see where Evaran was staying and prepare.
After Evaran and the others finished their meal at Krells, a decision was reached to head to the planet. They returned to the Torvatta and proceeded toward Roeth.
Dr. Snowden repeatedly glanced between both front screens in the Torvatta as it broke cloud cover and approached Follisat. He noted that there were a lot of forests, but the intriguing aspect to him was that the cities he saw appeared to be integrated into the environment. This was a departure from the advanced cities he had seen before. He glanced at Evaran. “Interesting city designs.”
“It may be wise to wear your survival suit,” said Evaran.
Dr. Snowden snorted. “No argument from me. I know we’ve been cleared for contamination, but no idea what we might pick up.”
“There is that,” said Evaran. “However, I was referring to the reputation of the city. I am hoping there will be no issues, but it does not hurt to be prepared.”
“You make it sound like it’s going to be the Wild West or something.”
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V looked at Dr. Snowden.
“Umm … you know … frontier, lawlessness, and all that.”
“Analysis. A period of time that refers to the American West in the nineteenth century.”
“You got it. Let’s hope it isn’t that wild.”
“Acknowledged. I hope it is not too wild either.”
Dr. Snowden chuckled while he saw a grin fight to get out on Emily’s face.
Evaran shook his head. “To be out here and build these cities, there would need to be some order present. Since the United Planets is present here, I would expect there to be tighter security in general.”
“I guess so,” said Dr. Snowden.
“Approaching landing coordinates,” said V.
Dr. Snowden surveyed the city they were approaching. Outside the city was a spaceport with a variety of ships parked in a large grid. It reminded him of a parking lot, except the cells on the grid seemed to vary in size and were mostly square, except for a section that had rectangular ones. A vacant cell was highlighted in green. It was about half a mile from the city, according to the distance metric the screen projected. As with the city, large trees were at every corner. The Kalesh loved their trees.
After the Torvatta landed, Evaran said, “Get your suits on and meet me outside.”
Dr. Snowden and Emily took off toward the research lab.
Dr. Snowden liked the survival suits. Although Emily had a custom one, he had become familiar with the one he had learned on. They were formfitting and space worthy and could tie into his PSD. There was also an energy shield with a repulsion beam weapon as needed.
His favorite aspect was the helm. It was stored in the neck collar and shot up on demand. Once on, it displayed information on the interior of the helm as a heads-up display. The HUD itself was amazing, but the fact that it could also tie into V and Evaran’s ring meant he got to see what they were analyzing or scanning as it happened. It gave him some insight into their decision making.
With his suit on and helmet raised, Dr. Snowden joined Evaran, Emily, and V in body mode outside the Torvatta. He examined the visuals on his HUD. The atmosphere was breathable, and the temperature was around eighty degrees Fahrenheit. Other humans and aliens without helmets were outlined as they scurried between their ships and the city. The trees surprised him. He had expected it to show organic information, but it also showed that there was technology built into them. Upon closer investigation, he could see small panels throughout, with barely lit lines running the height of the tree.
“The air looks breathable, and the temperature isn’t too bad,” said Emily.
“It is an ideal environment for humans,” said Evaran.
Emily nodded.
As they walked down the green walkway, Dr. Snowden scanned the ships and people around them. Most were alien, with a sprinkling of humans. The most common presence was Kalesh scurrying about. The ship designs varied but all looked like they had atmospheric travel as a consideration. His thoughts were interrupted by a group of scruffy-looking Kalesh wearing patchwork light armor. Some of them had their weapons holstered, and others had them in their hands. Their fur looked greasy, giving Dr. Snowden the impression these Kalesh were not friendly.
One of the Kalesh, with black fur, yellow spots, and a chipped tooth, stepped forward. “New here, huh?”
“We are,” said Evaran as his eyes darted around the Kalesh.
The Kalesh smirked. “See … we don’t want aliens here.” He pointed at Evaran’s utility handle. “So you can fly away … in your little ship … after you give me whatever that is.”
Evaran scanned the Kalesh with his ring, causing the Kalesh to step back. “I do not believe you have any authority here. We do not want any trouble.”
“It wasn’t a suggestion,” said the Kalesh with a snarl. The other Kalesh spread out behind him.
Evaran pulled his utility handle out and rested it on his extended hand, palm up. “Are you sure you wish to go down this route?”
The Kalesh laughed.
“Very well,” said Evaran. He gripped his utility handle and pressed a button. A rod extended with a white end. Boom! The Kalesh went tumbling as a repulsion blast swept over them.
Dr. Snowden jumped as Emily pushed past him and fired a stun beam at all but one of the Kalesh.
The last Kalesh had closed his yellow eyes, but opened them when it got silent. He trembled as he looked around at his fallen group, then looked at Evaran. “Look … Jimus was messing around. Please don’t kill me.”
“They are only stunned,” said Evaran. “In the future, you should refrain from this type of activity. Others may not be as lenient.”
The Kalesh vigorously nodded.
“Why did you select us?”
The Kalesh shrugged. “You aren’t Kalesh.”
“We have heard that there is some resentment toward aliens here. Are you a part of that group?”
“Look … I get paid to harass aliens. I don’t really have anything against them.”
“Who pays you?” asked Evaran.
“Warlord Okon.”
“Noted,” said Evaran. “You can tell the others to avoid us. If I catch you out here again, I may not be as forgiving.”
The Kalesh gulped, spun around, then took off running.
“That was easy pickings,” said Emily, cocking her head.
Dr. Snowden sighed. He could tell this was going to be another rough visit. That seemed to be the nature of Evaran’s travels in general. Emily’s quick response had startled him. By the time he had given thought to getting his PSD out, she had reacted. Maybe he would need to train more with her.
“The city is ahead. We should have no more issues getting there,” said Evaran.
Dr. Snowden noticed other groups stepping back a bit. “Well, at least we’ve made an impression, it seems.”
“It would appear so. This Warlord Okon will know of this event, so this may not be over.”
Dr. Snowden looked around. He wondered what new players they would meet. Although he was excited to see a new culture and an advanced humanity, he was apprehensive. Evaran tended to attract powerful factions and people. Hopefully it would be over quickly, and maybe they could spend some time here without being bothered. He sighed as he trudged alongside Evaran and Emily.
They spent the next three hours navigating the city.
Dr. Snowden enjoyed the various smells of the trees. He had expected them to have a leafy odor, but instead it was slightly sweet. There was a hint of something spicy mixed in, but he could not identify it. Small patches of trees blanketed the city between high-tech buildings. The greenness of the areas made it feel like it was full of life, something he appreciated.
The lack of insects everywhere was a surprise to him. Maybe the tree smells were a repellent of some sort. As they passed by various Kalesh, the Kalesh would raise their lips, exposing their teeth, and nod their heads. He almost burst out laughing the first time he saw it. Emily going into a defensive stance did not help that.
When they arrived at the three-story building that had their living arrangements, they paused to survey the environment.
“Are you sure this is it?” asked Dr. Snowden.
Evaran perused his ARI. “I am sure. We are on the top floor and have two rooms.”
Dr. Snowden pointed to the thin cylindrical pillars that towered over the building. It had rings that jutted out every ten feet or so. “What the heck are those?”
Evaran scanned it with his ring, then monitored his ARI. After a moment, he said, “It is a moisture harvester. It uses nanorods to collect water.”
“Oh,” said Dr. Snowden. “I remember reading about research into that on Earth. The Kalesh are more advanced than I thought.”
“It is a United Planets structure and packed with monitoring equipment. Quite a bit of it, actually.”
“Maybe it’s for security,” said Dr. Snowden.
Emily narrowed her eyes. “Or maybe it’s for mass surveillance.”
Evaran rubbed his chin. “It probably serves both purposes. I do not know if the Kalesh are aware of this. We can check both of our rooms for any surveillance once we get there.”
Emily glanced at Evaran. “V and I will take a room. You two can have the other.”
V tilted his head at Emily.
Dr. Snowden gulped. He understood Emily would want her space, but it still stung that she decided to room with V. Maybe she felt that if something were to occur, V would be more effective at helping her. He looked at Evaran. “It looks like it’s you and me tonight then.”
“You can sleep while I research then.”
Dr. Snowden nodded.
They reached the top floor and walked down the hallway toward their rooms.
Dr. Snowden watched several Kalesh scamper away at their approach. Although he figured that maybe they were skittish, it seemed unusual given the reaction he had seen with the other Kalesh they had passed on their way in. Maybe they were in a hurry, or as he probably thought, not all Kalesh were the same. One of the observations he had made since traveling with Evaran was that most races that he had encountered possessed a similar diversity in personality to humanity. Having grown up seeing all aliens defined by one trait, ideology, or style of dress seemed unusual to him now.
They reached their respective rooms and settled in.
Dr. Snowden slipped off his survival suit and kicked off his shoes. After tapping one of the two beds, he lay down and placed his hands behind his head. His PSD showed it to be around 9:00 p.m. on Earth. The sterile smell and soothing silence of the room comforted him. Maybe they had soundproof walls. He watched as Evaran pulled up a chair on the opposite side of the room and begin to interact with his ARI. Dr. Snowden snorted. “You really are going to work all night, aren’t you?”
“As you know, I do not require sleep. There is a lot of information to go through, even if it is public information. This is a good opportunity to go through it. Please, feel free to relax.”
Dr. Snowden sighed as he stared at the ceiling. After a few minutes, he got the feeling Evaran was staring at him. He glanced over and saw Evaran was studying him.
