by E J Randolph
The entrance loomed in front of us. Seconds later the doors slid open, and we were through, the chill of the night air hitting my face and waking me somewhat.
John tightened his grip around my waist. “Just a few more meters.”
Nick opened the door of a waiting military vehicle. John slid me in, and followed me onto the seat. Nick and Dan jammed themselves on either side of us.
The driver pulled away from the curb and came to a hard stop. A black vehicle cut directly in front of us and screeched to a halt. Four burly men with too many bulges under their otherwise ordinary street clothes leaped out each door and ran to the entrance.
Nick giggled. “They’ll find an empty room.”
I gasped. Those guys were looking for me.
Our driver swung into traffic.
John leaned toward him. “Your assistance in getting us back to the spaceport as quickly as possible will be much appreciated.” His calm, formal tone was at odds with the situation.
The driver half turned his head and grinned. “Friends of yours?”
“Hardly.”
The driver sped through traffic and pulled alongside Miss A. Nick and John leaped out, and Dan helped me slide out. My knees buckled and he held me up. The driver touched his cap in a salute and took off in a cloud of dust.
We walked toward the waiting gangway. Nick's long legs took him to the top. I shambled up with Dan’s assistance, and John trailed behind us. Ricardo waited at the main hatch. He brought the gangway up and closed the hatch.
Ah, high threat security procedures.
Dan brought me into the commons and helped me to my seat. “I’m going to mix up one of my high energy, high protein, fix-you-up-quick drinks.” He walked to the food fabricator and typed in a series of commands.
Yuck! He was going to get me one of his icky-tasting health drinks.
He brought me a frothy chocolate beverage.
Could this be? I took a tentative ship. “A chocolate shake. Thanks.
“It has all the good things in it, but I knew I’d get more cooperation if I presented them in something you like.
I took another sip. “It’s good. Don’t tell me about the additional ingredients. I want to enjoy this.” I took another sip and looked at John. “Tell me what’s going on.”
He smiled. “Do you mean you don't know? You’re sitting in Miss A. Nick, Dan, Ricardo and I are eating nuts and raisins.”
“You know what I mean.”
“We had to get you out of the hospital. Warpig wanted you.”
“Who’s Warpig?” I felt a tug of a memory. “Wait, I recall something. Two guys in the antibody lab mentioned something about telling Warpig. I didn’t know what they were talking about, but that name stood out. I thought it was funny sounding.”
“Warpig is no laughing matter. They’re a bunch of no fun people. The acronym stands for Weapons Advanced Research Project Investigation Group. By reputation, they’ll stop at nothing to develop a new lethal weapon.”
“Why are they interested in me?”
Dan groaned. “That thing that was in you.”
“But it’s gone.”
“They don't know that yet. They may have wanted a piece.”
“They took a piece at the lab.”
Dan and John exchanged glances.
I bit my lower lip. “What about all the others the government will be sending up to the alien ship?”
John leaned back. “Not if General Trond has his way.”
“But the aliens will destroy the planet.”
Ricardo pounded his side table. “If they do they’ll get nothing.”
John looked at him. “Upon occasion Ricardo’s uncomplicated mind gets to the root of things.”
I took a sip. “Are we at an impasse?”
“You might say that.”
“What are we doing now?”
“Keeping you out of the clutches of Warpig.”
“I should report to Mosley.”
“Go ahead.”
I commo'd Mosley.
His voice boomed from my wrist computer. “Kate, good to hear from you.”
“Thought I’d report in.”
“There are some gentlemen in the office. I’m sure they’d like to hear as well.”
I cut the connection and stared wide-eyed at John. “Warpig.”
“Probably. No, undoubtedly.”
”Now what?”
“Hunker down. They don't have anything that can peel Miss A open, and we can’t leave.”
Ricardo pursed his lips. “I might be able to get us out of here.”
John frowned. “The aliens have set up covering stations.”
Ricardo walked to the large screen on the bulkhead and punched up a view of the three alien ships. “They don’t have overlapping fields of fire. There is a dead spot right in the middle between each one.”
“How do you know?”
Ricardo grinned. “Nick isn’t the only one willing and able to calculate figures. I took the clip of the satellite destruction, measured the beam width, and projected its power.”
John turned to Nick. “Can you confirm Ricardo's figures?”
“Just a minute.” He pulled out a screen and tapped on the keys. He stared into the distance and clicked a few more. “He’s right.”
We let out our breaths in a group whoosh.
I tilted my head. “Does that mean we can get out of here?”
John nodded.
We all started talking at once.
John adopted a command stance. “Silence!”
We stopped talking and looked at him.
“Where should we go?”
I drew back. “Aren't we going home to Central?”
“Warpig's headquarters are on Central.”
My eyes widened.
John looked at the overhead. “Miss A, is there a planet nearby?”
“Lotusandra is only five flicker travel days away.”
Dan looked into the distance. “Lotusandra.” He snapped his fingers. “They’re known for mental sciences, second only to Old Earth. I once tried to get a fellowship there years ago. It’s tough to get one.”
John turned to him. “How much commercial traffic?”
“I’d be surprised if three ships dock there a year.”
John looked up. “Miss A, present the stats.”
A full color display exploded across the big screen. The planet was indeed known for mental sciences with a high number of schools and institutes. Statistics on practicing meditators nearly matched the population figures. Once a year, ships brought the current year's students and seekers and took the previous year's away. The commercial activity was minimal, and lush farmland along with fishing and abundant native wild plants provided all the necessary food.
Ricardo leaned back. “If I lived there, I’d set up a shack, fish a little, and eat the wild food.” He scrunched his nose. “Forget the meditating.”
Dan pinched his lips together. “You ought to give it a try. You might like it.”
“Trust me, I’m too much of an action guy for that kind of thing.”
John chopped the air. “We don’t have the time to bicker. Lotusandra is perfect. I’m intrigued by the mental sciences, and I want a planet with a low electromagnetic signature of ships coming and going.”
I glanced at him. “You think the huge number of spaceships landing on Bellasport is why the aliens came here?”
“It’s a possibility. Now, we have to get out of here before Warpig comes this way with enough weaponry to burn their way in. We need some supplies, and we can’t stay cooped in here forever. I have to get onto the general.” He flipped his wrist computer open and commo’d General Trond. “General, we need a favor. Can you pick up those Warpig guys for a few hours.”
General Trond chuckled. “Love to. I suspect some visa violation.”
“I didn’t know you used visas.”
The general guffawed. “They won't either. It’s a little-used regulation. Te
ll me what’s up.”
“We’re going to try to get out of here, and we need to load on some supplies. Ricardo is going to pull twelve g's rocketing out of the atmosphere.”
General Trond whistled. “It’s completely understandable you want to leave. Where are you going?”
“Lotusandra. The people there are experts in mental sciences. The aliens are telepathic. Maybe they can come up with something.”
“Mmm, that’s an interesting thought.”
“Look, General. You have a few hours. Put together a complete record including Kate's parasite. We’ll space mail it before we go into flicker space. It’ll get to Central in a few days. May change some minds there.”
“Good idea.”
“Make it graphic.”
“We’ll get right onto it. That is, we’ll do it along with putting together a couple directed energy weapons. We have to shoot through the atmosphere, which hurts, but we have all the power from the planetary grid.”
“Terrific.”
“Yeah, just might work. Anyway, got to go. Good luck. I’ll have those Warpig guys picked up. We have a tail on them. Should be within minutes.”
Fifteen standard minutes later the general commo'd John. “They’re in custody, and they’re more than a little angry.” He chuckled. “Does this old general's heart good.”
“Thanks. We’ll wait for your info cube and anything else.”
“Right.”
John commo’d off.
Dan rubbed his head. “What you said about seeing if the folks at Lotusandra might be able to do something about the aliens–”
“Yes, what of it?”
“The meditators are peaceful. How can you be thinking of using them for military purposes?”
“This is an existential threat to humanity.”
“I think you’ll be disappointed.”
John shrugged. “I have two main imperatives. I have to keep Kate safe from the aliens and Warpig, and I have to keep the ship and crew safe. Lotusandra is perfect for those.
“Is anything else just talk?”
“Yes. Still, they may have some ideas, but that’s not why we’re going there. Anything extra is something that hit me while talking to the general. I wanted to make him feel we’re doing all we can.” He looked around. “Alright, let’s get loaded. Ricardo, start the countdown.”
For the next couple hours, we loaded basic materials – water, feed stock for the food fabricator, and chemicals for the air processing system. Dan and I finished our checklist, and Shebang walked near us. She padded to me and twined around my legs purring.
I grinned. “She’s not running or hissing. This is the best confirmation the alien implant is gone.” I headed to the commons and Shebang ran in front of me holding her bushy tail up. I gave her sardines, and she ate, purring between bites.
I punched the intercom button. “I’m clean. Shebang loves me again.”
Ricardo chuckled. “Great! Now, you can go back to feeding her.”
“I won't mind. Not at all.”
Shebang ate and curled in my lap.
~ ~ ~
We waited for local sunset. The general's aide arrived with an info cube. “Here are the videos and anything else we have put together on those aliens.”
John took the cube. “Tell the general we’re getting out of here real soon.”
“Good luck.”
I made a copy of the cube for Really Big and appended a note. Keep Warpig off my back. We’re headed to Lotusandra.
The sun set and we strapped in.
John called up the local tower. “FNCV 635, ready for takeoff.”
“But you can’t. We’ve grounded all outgoing traffic. It’s too dangerous to take off.”
“We’re not asking permission, we’re informing you.”
John cut the feed from the tower.
Ricardo gave us a level look. “I’m going to pull twelve g's. The compensator can handle up to eight. That means you’ll all be experiencing four g's.”
John counted down, his voice calm and steady.
Ricardo fired up the engines.
“Three, two, one, liftoff.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
*<>*
R ICARDO MOVED his finger on the ball attached to his seat, and Miss A sped down the runway. She increased her speed and shot up. I was pressed against my seat as if a huge weight pushed down with increasing pressure. I couldn’t breathe. Would I pass out? I couldn’t pass out. I had to get to Lotusandra. Lotusandra. Lotusandra. Lotusandra.
Miss A rang like a giant bell hit by a monster hammer.
John grunted. “Miss A, status.”
“Neutral particle beam, wide dispersion, starboard quarter. No damage.”
“Good. Launching space mail.” He did and pressed a large button on the console in front of him. “Flicker space entered.” The pressure released, and the vibration of acceleration stopped.
I unstrapped. “Were we hit?”
Nick stood. “Just the outside of the beam. We must have moved faster than they expected. I tracked their shooting.”
John clapped Ricardo on the shoulder. “That was real flying!”
Ricardo grinned. “It was Miss A. She gave me what I needed.”
“Hear that, Miss A?” John spoke in a loud voice to the overhead where most of the sound pickups were located.
“No need to shout, John.” Her voice purred. “I’m glad to be of service.”
I jumped in the air. “Yay! We’re out of that alien ring surrounding Bellasport.”
John raised a fist. “We beat those aliens. They didn’t expect us to detect their hole.”
Dan smirked. “Probably thought they could move fast enough to cover it.”
Ricardo raised both fists. “We’re the best!”
I laughed. “We’re free of those spindlies! You guys are great!” I stared at the screens showing the streaking visuals of flicker space and my eyes unfocused. I flashed on internal images of the aliens and my time at the hospital and shuddered. “You guys got me to that hospital to get that thing out of my body, and you got me out of the clutches of Warpig. What’s a career worth if it entails getting parasites in my nervous system? It may be time to quit.”
The guys nodded.
“Maybe I need to make some hard decisions about my life. Do I really want to continue being a diplomat?” I looked around at the guys.
They stared back. I bit my lower lip and a tear threatened.
Dan headed to the hatch. “Come on, everyone. Lighten up. It’s pizza time.”
We hurried to the commons and devoured hot, fragrant slices of pizza heaped with almost everything we could think of. I gave Shebang a piece but kept her toppings simple. Nick added a few more items than the rest of us to his piece. Was that a tangerine slice? I averted my gaze.
I went to my quarters and slid under my covers. Shebang jumped up and turned in a circle. She lay in the crook of my arm and purred. Wonderful! I fell into a contented sleep.
The next morning I danced a few steps on my way to breakfast. Yay! We got away. In the commons, the guys ate their usual, healthy morning meal.
I twirled, my arms outstretched. “We’re free of those things and safe. They can’t get us now.”
John looked up from his plate. “True enough. As long as there’s no way they can track us.”
Nick shook his head. “There’s no way we know of for tracking a ship in flicker space.”
John directed a long, level stare at him. “Remember, not that long ago, the finest minds on Old Earth knew it was impossible to travel faster than light through a space that doesn’t exist like what we’re doing right now.”
I shuddered.
Dan laid his fork down. “We can’t forget they’re telepathic. What are the limits on speed or distance of telepathy?” He turned to me. “I don't know, do you?”
“No, I don't. Miss A, do you know the limits on telepathy?”
“My data files have no consistent information on t
hat. It may be known on Old Earth, but if it is, they’re keeping it to themselves.”
I tossed my head back. “Lotusandra is second only to Old Earth in mental sciences. Someone there may be able to tell us.” I marched to the food fabricator and punched in tea and sweet roll. At the last instant I changed the tea to hot chocolate. It was not a conscious choice. I sat and a soft rub on my leg and a loud purr reminded me of something. I sighed and returned to the food fabricator. I punched up sardines and placed the plate on the deck. Now, maybe, I could eat in peace.
I picked up my screen. Could Lotusandrans combat telepathic aliens? I punched in Lotusandra. The images showed people walking around with bland smiles and doing rituals for all kinds of occasions. I punched up the welcome ceremony, and a hologram jumped into the middle of the room.
Ricardo drew back. “Whoa!”
Nick’s eyes widened. “Way cool. Must have been embedded instructions.”
The ceremony included a brief verbal exchange and several bows.
I tapped my screen. “There are a bunch more. Looks like there’s a prescribed ritual for everything.”
Ricardo grinned. “How about a ritual for meeting girls?”
“There are several.”
I punched up the first. A young woman stands on a white tile at a large promenade where singles hang out hoping to connect. A young fellow steps onto an alternating black tile. The two share smiles. Then their friends set up a casual date.
Ricardo wiped his brow. “This could take forever.”
Dan pointed to the squares. “Patience. You might learn something. Notice, no one faces direct rejection. Sure, you could step on a tile and no one steps on the opposite tile indicating interest, but that is no more risky than smiling at a girl. You can shrug it off and try some other time. I would rather do this than risk rejection by walking up to a girl and asking her out.”
Ricardo grinned at me. “OK, show me more.”
I read off another heading. “Stylized processes by which to meet the opposite sex, allowing for a delightful set of tensions while removing the uncertainties that interfere with the joys of anticipation.” My eyes widened. “They seem to have this well thought out.”
The list of rituals went on forever. “There are precise ceremonies for every conceivable occasion including quite a few I’ve never thought about. I’m not sure I’d like to spend my life in one ritual or another.”
