by Jim Rudnick
Again, more yooHoos and then Ahanu rose, the Ikarian alien who was a friend of the admirals now for almost four years.
He turned to face his Tanner, and then held up the back of his right hand to his forehead, pressing on it for almost a minute and said nothing. It was the Ikarian sign of respect all at the table knew and they were quiet until he spoked.
He looked around the table and smiled at them all.
“It is without any kind of boasting, that I ask you all to think about what it would be like to put thousands of children into sleeper tanks and then take off at a max speed of about one-sixth the speed of light. To travel for more than sixteen hundred years, and then to be suddenly boarded by humans—this human in the lead,” as he pointed at Tanner.
“We were able after much thought and talk and yes, counsel by this human, accept the Barony offer of a world just for us—Throth. We have been settled there now for a few years and we think—we know, that it was the friendship of this human—the admiral, that meant the difference for our race. We thank you admiral Tanner Scott for your leadership and your friendship—and it is my privilege to be a small part of your wedding ceremony. To the admiral,” he finished off with a toast and that got many more huzzahs and pounding on the table too.
Bram stood then and didn’t bother to use the mic, but spoke about his being a green RIM Naval Academy grad, posted to the Marwick under captain Tanner Scott. He reminded them all, like any of them didn’t know, that as an Issian, he could do some things that they could not—but that he was so young almost those ten years ago now, that he had needed a mentor. A teacher. A person to ask for counsel from—and he looked over at Tanner and pointed right at him.
“For security’s sake, I can’t talk about the number of times I’ve ‘skirted’ the laws and statutes and Navy regs too—and joined the admiral as we found a way to defeat our enemies. I can’t mention what I know about this man, deep deep down—but I can tell you all this. At this table there is not a better friend one could ever have…admiral, I too am so pleased to be a part of your special day. That and from now on, I’ll have to call you Lord…like I will” and that got a huge laugh and they all chugged on their drinks.
Admiral McQueen stood then and also didn’t bother with the mic, and came to full attention as he faced Tanner.
He snapped a salute and yelled out “admiral on deck” and instantly all the officers at the table did likewise. They held that pose until Tanner snapped his own salute back and then he leaned over his place at the table where he stood.
“Admiral Scott and I go way back—more than a thousand lights to the Earldom of Kinross. There, at their Academy, I was one of his Professors—naval dog fights I believe and I think he got a solid B,” which got a laugh. Tanner was one of the best on the RIM with his ability to defeat other ships and that laugh lasted quite awhile. When the Earl promoted me to Admiral of the Kinross fleet, I also promoted Scott who was an average XO to his first ever captaincy on the Gillmarten. Ten months later which as you know is just not long enough to really get a handle on running a ship, the Franauts attacked the Earldom and we were at war…”
He held up a hand to stop anything that Tanner might have said and shook his head.
“Yes, I know that we paid—we all paid a price for that war—one that was as high as it ever could be. We all hurt—and that is why I took the Ansible from the Chairman of the RIM Confederacy Council—and accepted the job that admiral Childs was leaving to take over the Naval Academy. And that too is why I took Tanner along. I will admit here, this one single time—that Tanner is like a son to me,” which made him look down at his plate and his eyes flickered open and close a couple of times. He looked back up at Tanner.
“Son, I’m so proud of you—of the demons you’ve conquered and the aliens too. Like others here, I too am so happy to be a part of your big day…to the admiral!” he said as he straightened up and held up his glass to toast the admiral.
Last was, by tradition, the Best Man and the Duke d’Avigdor rose in his place.
“My space experience is somewhat limited with the large naval contingent here in the room. But there is one thing I would point out to you all—that when it comes to killing—there is nothing purer than hunting a beast that can kill you in a second with one swipe of it’s huge paws. The admiral and I shared just such a hunting trip years back on Anulet, looking for a Jael as a trophy. And we found two. But the thing was, that when I came around a copse of wood, one of them was just about to lay a beating on the admiral—oh, he’d shot it a couple of times, but the Jael is a tough kill. I plugged it and it fell and though Tanner was injured with a broken arm, he had enough hunting smarts to kill the dead Jaels mate that stalked us and then crept up on us and he shot it right over my shoulder. Dead. One shot and that one dressed out I heard later at thirteen hundred pounds, with teeth that ran eight to nine inches in length. Hell of a kill, admiral—and what I mean by telling this story here tonight, is that I owe my life to this man. Some of the others here owe him the same…but for me, paying a debt of this magnitude is something I will attempt, but never pay off. No no,” he said as Tanner struggled to answer and he waved him off.
“Tanner Scott—I am in your debt forever—my life is yours. I will never forget that and neither will the Duchy d’Avigdor either, but more on that after the wedding. Gentlemen, please all rise for a toast—the Best Man’s toast to the Groom,” and he raised his short rocks glass with a still healthy dose of some single malt in same and he said “to admiral Scott—may he be a happy new Royal,” and he tossed down the Scotch, turned and whipped the now empty glass the length of the room and it crashed into the fireplace with a huge smash. Alver was next and then they all threw their glasses and joked and asked the servers for more glassware and drinks.
As they all got new ones, it was Tanners turn to rise and he stood there looking at them all, one by one.
“I have made the best friends any man ever could. I have done things that should have killed me—but didn’t because of some of you in this room. I have caused others to ‘meet their maker’ but never out of any kind of evil intent—nor for that matter by negligence either. I can only say this. That as my Groomsmen—you will be at what I’m told is the best event of it’s type on the RIM ever. And there will be, I’m told, media galore so put on your best pressed tuxedos, fellows cause you’re all gonna be celebrities the day after. To one and all, I can say thank you. That, and one more thing—server, could you please bring in those boxes?” and one of the servers scampered out and then returned with a tray of boxes—one for each of the Groomsmen.
Tanner looked at them all, one by one as each had a box put in front of them.
“What you have in front of you, is my gift to my Groomsmen. Some of you may not actually need it—but most of you I am told will find that if you follow the short half page of instructions, and swallow the small ampule of liquid, you will double your lifespan.”
He let that sit there and most of the Groomsmen looked at each other, then at the box and then back at him.
“Yes, I know for instance that Ahanu will not need to take this personally, as he’s already five times my age and will outlive me by centuries. But perhaps,” he said as he looked at his Ikarian friend, “you can re-gift this to someone that you think deserves same. I am sorry that the gift is not say a Seenra ship of your own or a Caliphate casino card with a million credits on it. But what I think I might have done, is to show you how much you all mean to me—by offering you a longer life. Cheers one and all….and to next week’s big day!” he said and he toasted them all.
They all sat quietly and looked at each other. It was Bram who rose and smiled as he shook his head.
“How you kept this from me, my admiral, I’ve no idea—but yes, I think I might like to see what life is going to be like in a hundred and twenty or so years,” he said and sat.
Alver got things rolling once more and said “servers—let’s have some of those Broken Down Shuttle C
raft shooters—two each for everyone in the room,” and that got them all hooping and a hollering once more…
CHAPTER NINE
The Master Adept came into her private study so very rarely that she almost thought of writing down the few times she was here to remind her that she was not giving what the room hid enough importance.
She shook that thought off.
The fact that it was she—the only Issian that had entered this room in more than almost eighty years was not important. The Master Adept who had preceded her, had taken about a day to explain, and then show her what she needed to know. Today, she had scheduled the whole day to spend with her own replacement, Gloria Patel and she stood beside her now.
She had been more than surprised to learn, that as of tomorrow, she would be the new Master Adept.
That had taken almost a full hour to explain; a mind link worked best and as the Master opened up that area for Gloria to look into, and learn from, she ignored the womans cries and sorrowful wishes. She died tomorrow, it was that simple and Gloria needed to be up to speed, as they say, to take over at the same moment. Nothing could be allowed to stop the marriage of the Lady St. August and the admiral. Nothing, not even a death.
“You must be strong, Gloria. You must be as forceful as you can be—as you will be facing the highest ranking officials on the RIM—the Baroness, the admirals and even more, the EliteGuard bent on revenge. This is a real birth by fire and you will make your bones tomorrow at the wedding ceremony.”
She looked at Gloria, still griping the womans hand and looked inside. With all of her talent, she delved as deeply as she could and what she saw was helpful. But the worst was yet to come.
She sat facing her replacement at a small table inside the study. On the table was a large book, waiting to be read. On the walls were strange artworks of scenes and views of a planet that was not on the RIM for sure. Thickly forested, with huge mountain ranges that seemed to go up and up forever. A lush, green and inviting world for sure.
On the far wall, a large view-screen sat black, waiting to be turned on too.
But all that was later.
Now it was time for the reveal—from the current Master Adept to the one that followed.
Master to Master.
She looked over at Gloria and began.
“You must know this, and a gentle reminder—this is for you to know and hold, and to pass it on to only the person who follows you as the next Master Adept—agreed, Gloria?”
She got a nod in return.
“We Issians are not from Eons. In fact it’s the third world that we have called our home planet, the other two being not in this galaxy…”
She remembered when she got the same message and how she had doubted what she was being told.
“We came to this galaxy about twenty thousand years ago—to a planet called Ghayth, where the ship crash-landed. Our masters then were a flying race of aliens who were the most technologically advanced race in our home galaxy, about three hundred thousand lights away. They had populated over millennia all the planets in that galaxy that would support life. So they looked around and found this galaxy—among others I understand. The ship that we Issians were on, as I said was the fifth ship sent to Ghayth, and it crashed. There were more than twenty thousand of us on that ship, and after the crash and loss of life, it was decided that inhabiting this galaxy would be put on hold, as they say. So they moved us to Eons, as an outpost, and then left. They’ve never been back—at least to our knowledge.”
She suddenly wished for some tea or maybe even something stronger like a nice Sherry, but not know.
“Marooned on Eons, we grew. We created a society, and learned how to be planet bound. We were then—as we are now, used by others because of our mind-reading abilities. Then, and now,” she said and shook her head, wondering how life would have treated the Issian race if they did not have this mutation.
Gloria nodded. She was listening, which was good, the Master thought.
“So as you can now understand, we too are new to this galaxy, but what that means for our future, no one knows. All I can tell you is that the ancients as we call them—their real race name was the Praix. Large ten foot tall flying aliens, with great dexterity on their fore-wings, Slightly orange colored feathers, yellow scaly feet, eyes the size of softballs and a brain that was larger than most other races, Erans included. They have never come back, but that could happen—they too have the Barony Drive as we call it—stolen from them by the way. I understand that the records show,” she said as she tapped the book that sat between them, “that there are three worlds like Ghayth that they’ve used to hide resources and equipment and even ships in. Ghayth is one, yes…but the others we do not know. Could be we will know one day, however as you will read, we have no way to contact them. At least no way to do that is included in the Book nor from what we’ve learned, no way has as yet been found on either Ghayth in the wharehouses or on the wrecked ship either.”
She waited for a moment before going on.
“I tell you this so that you, as the next Master Adept, accept the knowledge and the responsibility of hiding it till you pass it on to the next successor. My role in this is over, but not yours as it is just beginning. Have you followed all of this, Gloria?” she said.
Gloria put her hand on the book.
“Can I take this with me when I go to read it later?”
The Master Adept smiled a small smile.
“This is now your study, your book—in fact your private apartment. While we’ve been here talking, I arranged to have your own quarters over in the low tower emptied and moved over to this—your new apartment. I have moved out already, and will spend this last evening in guest quarters. And tomorrow—well tomorrow will only matter to you. Welcome, to the new Master Adept, from the old one, Gloria” and she smiled at the new one.
She leaned back and slid the book towards Gloria, then turned on the vid by simply saying “video Praix one” and the screen came to life and they both sat back to watch.
It looked like it might have been a promotional tape for the avian race, and it started with a flyover of that planet with the huge mountains and trees that went up forever. The camera floated on at some speed and as it came down a huge valley ahead lay a city of spires and high bridges and walkways. Everything seemed so much bigger and posher, like the vid producers had obviously intended.
A fade to a real live Praix perched on what looked like a roost well above a park like area. The avian stretched his wings that must have been fifteen feet wide. His beak was small, and looked like it was not hard cartilage but a softer type that helped the alien pronounce his words. Course, the language was unintelligible, but it was steady in tone and sounded somehow like a welcoming message. It went on for a few minutes and then the Praix jumped up into the air—the Master thought that the jump was like twenty feet in the air, and then his wings unfurled and he began to fly, the camera now behind and slightly above him. He flew around the city, and glided over various areas, parks, what looked like an industrial area, above a large lake and an accompanying area that looked like a large college or university area. While well below the flying Praix and the camera, there were hundreds of other flying Praix below them, in groups or couples or solo flyers. In fact most of the rest of the vid was just that flyovers of cities and mountain ranges. She wondered if Gloria would notice that at times, the Praix flew in the same V patterns as other avians—it always made the Master smile when she thought of them as just big geese. There was a large scrolling of some kind of language—if that’s what it was, that went by for over a minute and the Master once again noted that the Praix used what looked like some kind of icons and images and then squiggles or the like for their printed words. The last part of the vid was on a ship—a ship that was just like the wrecked on on Ghayth, up on the bridge where the small crew of three perched and ran the ship. There was a voice over that said something, and there were closeups of various items on what must have been
the captain’s console monitor. Icons were clicked and things happened but the cut-aways meant little to the Master but might have to someone who understood what was happening. But that was all moot, as no one else would ever see it.
The vid ended with another message of the Praix speaker, saying something.
And the screen went to black.
“If you’re much like I was the first time I saw that vid, you’d be a bit surprised. But overall, it really is so out of date being more than twenty-thousand years old, that it’s relevancy today is nominal. But I’m supposed to show it to you; in the eighty years since I first saw it, I think I’ve personally watched it twice more. Not a lot there for us Issians, but it is a part of what you must show.”
She leaned towards Gloria and smiled.
“And that’s the secret that the Master Adept must learn and then hold. I would also caution you that what we know, no one else must ever learn. Now that the wreck on Ghayth and a few of the resource wharehouses have been found, it’s important to remember that. That duty now falls to you…”
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Wedding day for anyone can be a day when anxiety takes a huge toll on the participants—not the bride and groom as that would be expected. No, the real anxiety lies with the suppliers of services for the wedding. Add in that the wedding was of Royals and the anxiety tripled. It was no wonder.
Ten thousand people were going to come here today, the event planner said to herself, as she stood in the brightening pre-dawn hours, watching the cargo flyers coming into the palace airspace from the huge reserved WEDDING ONLY space over at the Barony Naval Base. More than a dozen ships had been sitting there for the last three hours, unloading everything from potted roses to canapes, from thousands of chairs to Baked Alaskas. All had to be moved as safely as possible and while it was only about eleven miles, what they had decided to do was to close down one lane of the major highway between the Base and the Palace.
