Cateria and her staff were ready and waiting. They transferred our three latest guests on Med Bot stretchers and began their work while on their way to sickbay.
Narth went with them.
Shea came into the landing bay and watched as the scientists unloaded the specimen containers and other finds. She still wore her Sojonit outfit but took off her mask and said, “I have the blessings of the Mother Superior for our union and she has retired my name.”
I smiled, looked around to make sure no one was watching, and kissed her.
She then handed me a sealed package and said with slight surprise in her voice, “This comes from the Mother Superior. The package contains a real Sojonit costume and she hopes you’ll find time to visit her at the temple tomorrow.”
I took the package. “Then I will make the time if at all possible.”
I checked in on the bridge and was briefed by Mao about the ship’s status. Elfi reported more communication intercepts between the Merchant’s Sorrow and the Red Dragon and the arrival of that ship was confirmed. Then I went to engineering and found Circuit in the main engine room at a towering machine that had all the looks of Union tech but at the same time looked quite alien. A robotic arm had removed a large section of its cover and held it in place hanging from the ceiling and allowing me to see inside this contraption. Eight tubes of about one meter in diameter stuck out from a hexagonal-shaped cube. The cube looked as if it was made of glass or some other transparent material and it looked as if bright red glowing liquid syrup was mixed and swirled with a milky, yellowish, thick liquid that also glowed. I saw a bushy tail sticking out from one of the tubes.
Circuit handed me a pair of dark goggles and said, “Better put them on, captain. Three-Four is out of his containment suit, and he is brighter than a blue star.”
I pointed at the cube thing and put on the goggles. “How are things going?”
Circuit said, “We got the leak fixed, and we are running at 99.9998 percent efficiency and conversion rate.”
He pointed at the Cube. “This actually is the chamber where we tap into the higher dimension and the swirling colors are what our senses make of what is actually there. Only Narth and Three-Four can actually sense what it really looks like. We are pulling the purest form of energy from that dimension and to use it, we must convert it into all the different energy forms we need. We have never used it in its raw form in the nose cone spine cannon and its use there has not been entirely tested either.”
Even with the dark glasses, I was almost blinded as a bright ball of intense white light emerged from one of the tubes and slipped into the uniform containment suit lying on the floor. It looked as if someone pumped air into the flat suit and Three-Four the Non-Corp got up and saluted me.
“Hi, captain, everything is working fine now. The leak is patched, and we now know why it happened in the first place.”
Circuit pointed at the bushy tail. “Captain, I recommend Specialist Warner for a service medal. That little Holdian is working like a machine, and I mean that as a compliment.”
“I’ll have Har-Hi draw up the necessary documents, and I will decorate him accordingly.”
Circuit made a gesture to the open hatch. “We should be done in about 20 minutes, but I would love to run the system one hour above red line.”
I patted his shoulder. “You deserve a medal, too, my friend, and maybe after we have slain that Red Dragon, we can cast off our disguise for a while and take our ship to the edge of what she can do.”
Like always, I knew his mood and he was deeply satisfied. “These engines are all the medals I need, that and your pat on my shoulders, that is.”
***
Later that day, I went to the Den, wearing my captain’s uniform. Har-Hi followed, holding the little box.
I asked Specialist Warner to stand on the table, so I could look him in the face. He, too, wore his uniform and stood at attention, except his tail had other ideas and twitched back and forth.
I said, “Mr. Warner, I was told by your supervising officer that you perform your tasks above and beyond expectations. In recognition of your work and performance, I am hereby awarding you the Golden Service Medal of Engineering Excellence and in lieu of the shore leave rights I am unable to grant at the moment, you have a full day use of the Virtu Chamber, and you will be the guest of honor at our next formal dinner.”
Har-Hi handed me the medal chip, and I swiped it over his ribbon display and handed him the actual medal. “Well done, Mr. Warner.”
If he would have been a balloon, I was certain he was near bursting and so I nodded to Har-Hi, who called everyone present to be at ease and dismissed.
The little Holdian shrieked in excitement and shook my hand with both his paws.
“Thank you, captain, thank you! I am so proud!”
He then jumped off the table and showed his medal to the Golden and Circuit.
From the curtains that hung before the main door to the converted hangar bay emerged Cateria and with her came the man and the small girl we had picked up.
Both looked much more Human now. The man wore a standard duty uniform without any insignia. He appeared to be in his late sixties and had silver-gray hair that matched his now well-groomed beard. He had hollow cheeks and looked very thin. The girl had long black hair parted in the middle. Her skin was not as white as that of a Kermac but still appeared very pale. She reminded me of Galmy, who was from Maltyr and one of my first-year academy mates, but unlike Galmy, the girl did not have black eyes, but large blue ones. She appeared almost like a precious little porcelain doll, like the one my mother had sitting on her vanity dresser. The girl now wore a black dress with a white lace collar, and I wondered why a little girl would want to look so somber. Her face had an expression of sadness.
Cateria held up a PDD and said, while looking at it, “I am surprised these two are still alive. I have never removed so many parasites from only three individuals. The man suffered from gastritis and advanced lung cancer. Not to mention several festering, infected sores. I was able to treat all three.
“The girl is an enigma. She had only a few cuts and bruises and a nasty fungus infection on her scalp, but her immune system is exceptionally well developed. She carries Human DNA, but also DNA patterns of a species unknown to the computronic databanks. Her Heidelberg Psi Index is at approximately 14,000, considerably lower than Narth, who exceeds the 35,000 marks but far more than any Saresii, Kermac, or Human ever measured. To put that in relation, the average Kermac or Saresii talent hovers about 250-300. Alycia Lichfangh, who is considered one of the most powerful, is at around 7,000. She is not telepathic and, according to Narth, her entire psionic power manifests in telekinetic powers.
“The strain of fighting Narth had caused severe cerebral bleeding, and she was on the brink of death. She, too, is out of danger, but using her power now before she has completely recovered will kill her as certainly as a blaster shot to the head. I have her momentarily on a psionic-blocking drug.
“Both are severely undernourished. The Stik is also on his way to making a complete recovery. I doubt it happened on purpose, but the powerful hands of our Y’All friend augmented by the suit crushed his backbone to an unsolvable puzzle, so I am printing him a new one as we speak. He will be in the ReGen tank for at least another two hours.” She lowered her PDD.
The man bowed before me and said, “I thank you for your hospitality and for saving our lives. I knew I had cancer. I was quite sure of it and hoped I would survive long enough to see Alice grow and be safe.”
Elfi stepped in and handed me a printout. “Ms. O’Connell ran his data through main CID at Pluribus, and he is identified as Nestor Faller, born on Tillsquare Planet 78 years ago. He had a good education at Pluri-Tech University and became a very successful thief, cat-burglar, and computronic manipulator and for a long time was only known as Fusionbeam.
“His alter ego, Fusionbeam, gained quite some notoriety when he stole the Tear of Blood, the largest na
tural ruby in the known Galaxy, right from under the noses of Schwartz Security. It was said he could infiltrate any system and steal whatever he wanted.”
The man listened to what Elfi said and nodded. “Yes, that is me. I was Fusionbeam. I never killed anyone or stole from anyone who could not afford it, but then my own wife, that snake Lisa, double-crossed me and made my identity known. Those bastards at Schwartz Security hunted down everyone associated with me They didn’t turn them over to the law; they killed everyone. My family, my friends, and that long after I had given back the ruby. That wasn’t enough for them, so I faked my own death and fled to Sin 4. But even here I found out I was not safe. So, I became a Skaakh and completely vanished.”
He put his hand on the head of the girl and fatherly love glowed in his eyes. “Seventeen years ago, I found her, dumped from a garbage flyer, a tiny baby girl wounded and barely alive. I did what I could to nurse her back to health and help her grow. If it wasn’t for my friend, the Stik, we would never have made it that long.”
Shea said, “I am certain I can arrange for Schwartz Security to cease all prosecution and have all charges dropped, expunge the files, and leave you alone.”
My redheaded yeoman clutched her PDD before her chest. “I checked into his case and since he was never convicted or stood before a court of law, I don’t see why he should not be able to return home. His citizen rights can be restored, I am certain.”
Tears rolled down the man’s face. “There isn’t a night I don’t dream of going back and being free and clean once again. Eat real food and sleep in a real bed, but my home is here now. The Stik are the true owners of this world and they are oppressed, slaughtered, and enslaved while the off-worlders rape their planet, destroy everything, and pollute it to death. They have never abandoned me, and I will fight for them and live with them until I die.”
He then pushed the girl gently forward. “However, if you could take care of her, I would be eternally grateful to you all. She has no future here, and I know her talent can kill her. You could teach her and make her grow in a clean, healthy environment. She could go to Union school and then have a galaxy of opportunities; here, I doubt she will see another year.”
The girl cried, “I don’t want to leave you, Dad!”
He knelt down to her and said with a choking voice, “Alice, I love you like my own daughter, but I am an old man on the dirtiest world in the Universe. Don’t you remember all the stories about the Union I told you? They are all true. You will never be cold, sick, hungry or thirsty again. Here, you don’t have to fear anyone and the man in the black robe is a real Narth who can make your headaches go away, and you will never have nosebleeds again. Alice, if you love me, you must go with them.”
She sobbed but nodded. “I love you, Daddy.” As she said it, blood trickled from her nose.
Cateria jumped up, and Narth caught Alice’s collapsing body, saying with urgency in his usually so calm voice, “We must get her back in sickbay or she will cease to live.”
I nodded, and he disappeared along with Cateria in a loud pop as the air rushed into the void he had just occupied.
Nestor looked helplessly at the spot Alice had just been. “Will she be okay?”
I put my hand on the man’s shoulder. “She is in very good care and my friend Narth will teach her and make sure she will no longer hurt herself.”
“He really is a Narth?”
“Yes, he is.”
“If only half of the legends are true of them then I have hope.”
I had everyone sit down and had coffee served.
After about an hour, Narth came in and said to the man, “She will fully recuperate, but she is in a deep sleep right now. Our CMO has done a marvelous job in cauterizing the hemorrhages, and I will teach her in small steps how to control her enormous potential.”
The mood improved after that, and I had dinner served. Just as Nanjo Eeeryt served the main course, Elfi, who had the Conn at the moment, called and said, “Captain, I am sorry to interrupt dinner but three Togar warships just entered the system. Intercepted comm traffic confirms they are searching for us.”
Thanks to our fast IST, it took me little time to reach the command deck. I stopped by my quarters and changed into my leather outfit and then stepped on the bridge. Har-Hi was right behind me, and Elfi vacated the command seat.
“Three Monglar-Class Togar Attack Cruisers dropped out of Quasi Space about eight minutes ago and are broadcasting a description of our ship and offering a reward of 500,000 polos for anyone knowing where we are.”
“Sound general quarters and open a channel to them.”
The rest of my senior officers arrived and took their seats, just as the klaxons blared through the ship and called everyone to their positions.
Elfi said, “I have a connection to the lead ship.”
After a hand sign of mine, she put me on and a brown-furred Togar female flanked by two male warriors of her species appeared on the screen.
“I am Captain Black Velvet of the Silver Streak. Why would the Togar Empire have a bounty on us?”
The female growled. “We are aware you are harboring a fugitive of our kind, and we demand that you hand her over.”
“I am not in the business of harboring anyone.”
“Liar, we know you purchased a female Togar at a place known as Brahma Port.”
“Oh, that one. Sorry, I don’t have her anymore. Captain Swift purchased her from me, and I am not sure where he went. If there is a reward, I will keep an eye open for him and the Swift Profit, his ship.”
One of the male Togar said, “She could speak the truth. She has been seen leaving Brahma Port with said individual, and we know of his appetites.”
“Human, you will give us the exact coordinates where you saw this Swift last and tell us if you know where he went.”
“Is there a reward out for that fugitive of yours?”
“You can collect it at the Throne world if your information leads to the capture of that individual.”
“I think he went to Kaliment, if my memory serves right.”
She turned to her associate and said, “Lay course to Kaliment.”
To me, she said, “If you come across this Swift before we do, make sure you tell him there is a substantial reward for that Togar female.”
With those words, she cut the transmission.
Narth said, “The Togar ships are changing course and accelerating out of the system.”
Har-Hi got up and looked over Narth’s shoulder. “That was quick thinking, sending them to chase a pirate ship that doesn’t exist anymore, but I really wonder what our white-furred guest did to justify such efforts.”
I shrugged. “She will tell us when she is ready. I gave her my word she will be safe aboard my ship, and I tend to keep my word.” I got up. “Well, that went better than expected. Stand down from Battle Stations and keep me posted. I think I will finish my dinner. If I am right, Nanjo made fish soup.”
I was just sitting back down at the table as our little Holdian engineer jumped out of his seat with a panicked shriek. I turned to see what had spooked him.
Cateria and the white-furred Togar stood in the door. The Togar had her hands demurely folded before her, and she looked to the floor. She was now wearing one of the white dresses female med-techs liked to wear, and she looked strangely alluring and quite attractive.
Warner pointed at her. “If there is one thing Togar like more than eating Humans, it’s chasing and eating Holdians.”
She whispered, “I wish not to cause any harm or trouble to anyone. It would be best if you let me leave the ship, or kill me.”
“You are not a prisoner, and if you want to leave, no one will stop you, but we are on Sin 4, and three Togar battleships broadcasted a big reward for you over all channels. It would be suicide to go out there. I think you should sit with us and have dinner.”
The Holdian was moving close to TheOther. “Don’t invite her, captain, she might take you up on
it and eat me!”
TheOther placed his huge arms like a barrier around the Holdian and this gesture of protection calmed our little engineer down considerably.
I said, “No worries, Mr. Warner, I am sure there is no danger at all.”
I got up and made an inviting gesture. “Please sit and eat. We do not have Human or Holdians on the menu, but I remember a Togar friend of mine said she prefers bacon and I am sure we have some of that.”
She raised her head a little and her green eyes sparkled. “You know a Togar and call her friend?”
“I must admit, I have almost forgotten about her, but through your presence, I was reminded of the lessons of an old teacher of mine. There is a very small community of Togars living as free citizens in the Union and one of them is the captain of a civilian ship.”
She moved with grace and elegance and sat down at the edge of one of the big chairs. “Dear Mr. Holdian, please be assured I mean no one any harm and I have never harmed, slain, or eaten a Holdian and will never do so.”
The little engineer jumped over the arm barrier and walked with twitching tail back to his booster seat. “I am not afraid anyhow, I am a fleet engineer. I was merely acting, of course.”
Our Elly cook came in with a plate and placed it before her. “The captain mentioned bacon, Mr. Narth teleports me into my kitchen before I even know it, and SHIP already has the bacon out of the stasis freezer, so here we go, the fastest ever fried bacon.”
She whispered, “Thank you, but I am not hungry.” Her pink triangular nose over the cleft lips begun to shiver, and she timidly took a little piece and nibbled. Right after that, she ate a whole slice. “Intha, intha, this is like god food.”
I motioned everyone to eat and the ice seemed to be broken as the good food pacified everyone.
The Togar female almost reacted like the Holdian as Krabbel came in and announced, “My shift is over and it looks like I am just in time for dessert.”
Eric Olafson Series Boxed Set: Books 1 - 7 Page 111
