Lens of Time

by Saxon Andrew

  “I meant no disrespect, but I only spoke during moments of silence.”

  “Why did you interject your thoughts?”

  “I have been troubled by the invading ship not destroying the second ship it penetrated. I could find no reason for that behavior. In all the cycles I’ve been witnessing, that has never happened.”

  “Why is that significant?”

  “They exhibited a trait that is rare.”

  “What is that?”

  “Mercy.” The council remained silent and the Operator said, “Name one other civilization that wouldn’t have destroyed the second ship. What that ship did told me something was different about the beings in it.”

  “Do you believe them?”

  “I’ve found the records mentioned in the conversation about the Minors and they support what that being said. The Minor civilization that destroyed the home world of the ones that spoke with us are now fighting beside them. Would we ever consider doing that under even slight discretions? It appears they recognized that the Minors were forced to kill or be killed. The white ships determined that quickly and knew who was responsible for their world’s destruction.”

  “They should have destroyed the Minor as well.” The Operator remained silent and the Council Member said, “Shouldn’t they have destroyed the Minor as well?”

  “I believe the Minor has convinced them that they regret what they did and told them it would never happen again, as they just promised us. They fought together in the last battle and it’s clear the ships from both civilizations fought to the death to defend each other’s ships. I am just a Sensor Controller. I analyze data and refer my findings to you to make the decisions on what should be done. You are far more capable of finding the truth in the data than I.”

  “What have you determined about the ship that invaded our borders?”

  “They are capable of killing our ships.”

  “Are we capable of killing them?”

  “I believe we are.”

  “So we should not attack them alone?”

  The Operator hated answering the question but said, “That is an accurate assessment.”

  “I sense you don’t want to attack them.”

  The Operator hesitated but said, “If there is even the remotest possibility of them being honest in their promises, I would not attack them.”

  “Why? They are a real danger.”

  “To who?”

  The Council was taken aback by the question and then they started talking among themselves. The Operator waited and hoped they saw what he did.

  • • •

  RV and Cyanna were watching fleet maneuvers on their display when a call came in on RV’s console. RV looked and saw George, “Hello, George. What’s up?”

  “We’ve received a message from the Nexu.”

  RV saw the tension in George’s face, “And?”

  “They request a meeting with the one that spoke with them.”

  RV leaned back in his chair, “What did they say?”

  “Nothing else; they transmitted coordinates and then ended the transmission. RV, I can’t allow you to go.” RV was silent and Cyanna wondered what was going on. “You’re too important to risk.”

  “No one is that important, George. Don’t you see that this is a test of whether or not we can be trusted? If I refuse to go, what does that tell them about our promises?”

  Cyanna put her hand up to her throat and felt instant fear.

  George said, “RV, I just can’t risk losing you.”

  “They will know it isn’t the one they communicated with if someone else goes and you know it. I’ve got to do it.”

  “If I have to send every ship we have to get you out of there, I will.”

  “No you won’t; this is something that is worth doing. Did they give a time for this to happen?”

  “An hour from now.”

  “I’ll take a shuttle.”

  George slowly shook his head, “This is a decision that is unbearable.”

  “That’s why you’re our leader; you’re strong enough to make it. I’ll let you know what they say.”

  Cyanna looked at RV and he softly smiled, “Don’t make this harder than it is.”

  Cyanna stood and hugged him tightly, “Come back to me! You’re taking my life with you.”

  RV held her tightly and said, “I love you. Admiral Arvolo, you are in command of the fleet.” Cyanna watched him leave the bridge and started praying.

  RV went to the landing bay on the Tampa and said, “Prepare a shuttle that does not have a gravity drive.” He waited as a shuttle was lowered to the floor and then he went in and contacted George, “Please send me the coordinates of the meeting.”

  George pressed his console and said, “You know how I feel about this. Just come back.”

  “I’ll do my best.” RV took the shuttle out of the landing bay and flew a hundred miles from the Tampa. He reached in his pocket and removed the translation device that Dolly had downloaded the Nexu’s language into. He placed it on his head and then entered the coordinates of the meeting site. He took a deep breath and jumped the shuttle. He arrived in deep space and ten seconds later an Orange Battleship appeared next to him. The landing bay opened and RV took the shuttle inside. He checked the ships atmosphere and saw that it was breathable. He moved to the port and opened the door. He found a being waiting on him. It was a little over six feet tall and was bipedal in form. The hands had six fingers and the face looked a lot like a walrus. The front lips extended out from the face and looked like they could be used to pull food into its mouth. The being was grey in color but its eyes were large and bright blue. It had blonde hair and ears that were similar to a human’s. RV smiled and said, “I see you’re prompt.” The being’s eyes widened and RV said, “The device on my head allows me to understand your language.”

  The being said, “That’s a remarkable device.”

  RV said, “My name is Arvolo and you are?”

  “You can call me what you want. I think our names would be difficult for you to say.”

  “Say it and let me see.” RV heard the snorts and grunts and smiled, “I’ll call you Jeff.”

  “I told you. Why did you choose that name?”

  “A good friend of mine that died had that name. It’s a good name.”

  The being tilted its head to the left and said, “Jeff it is.”

  RV said, “Why do you want this meeting?”

  “My leaders are in a quandary about what to do. They want to meet with you directly.”

  “What’s the issue with them?”

  “They’re trying to decide whether to kill you or not.”

  RV thought about Cyanna and knew he may not survive this meeting. He felt immense sorrow over what she would endure if that happened. He looked at the floor and then said, “Let’s hope I can convince them that the ‘or not’ is the way to go.”

  Jeff’s mouth widened and he decided he liked this strange, pale being. “We’ll arrive momentarily. If it would make you more comfortable, we can take your shuttle to the surface.”

  “So you trust it is unarmed?”

  “Not at all; we’ve scanned it down to the molecular level and I know it’s not armed.”

  RV sighed and said, “Show me where we need to go.” They entered the shuttle and after the orange battleship jumped, RV flew it out and found himself over a planet that was completely covered by a huge city. Every inch of land was covered by the giant metropolis and Jeff pointed at a continent on the northern hemisphere. “We’re going to the buildings next to the ocean. They’re located beside the large bay.”

  RV saw the bay and increased the magnification of the display, “Are you talking about the tall buildings next to the shore?”

  “I am and there is a place in front of the tallest waiting for your arrival.” RV flew the ship easily through the atmosphere and landed softly in the cleared area surrounded by flashing green lights. The Operator was impressed with how easily this
being handled the ship. The winds on his world were always difficult to manage. The Operator stood and said, “If you’ll follow me, I’ll take you to our Council.”

  RV said, “Lead the way.” He stepped out of the shuttle and watched as every being turned his way. Even those far down the block turned back and looked at him. RV said, “How does everyone know I’m here?”

  The Operator turned and said, “Oh, I meant to tell you. We’re telepathic. They heard your thoughts.” RV followed Jeff into the building and knew why they wanted this meeting in person. They would learn everything he knew about the Union and there was nothing he could do to prevent it. Humanity was in great danger and it was his entire fault. Jeff listened to his thoughts and saw that the, what did he call his species, oh yeah; the human, knew he was in a trap from which there was no escape for him or his species. Jeff didn’t like the deception but led RV into an elevator and it rose at high speed to the floor of the Council.

  • • •

  RV stood in front of the council and knew they were communicating but the room was silent. He had answered all their questions and he knew they didn’t need to ask them. They could simply look in his mind and find whatever they wanted. Finally being in the front row rose and spoke verbally to him. “I can see that you believe what you’re saying to us but we don’t trust you.”

  RV said, “Why is that?”

  “We’ve had more than half a million species stand before us and offer promises similar to what you’ve given. All of them failed to keep them.”

  RV said, “That’s not entirely true.”

  The being smiled, “Oh?”

  “Some of them were destroyed before they could break them.”

  “And just how do you know that?”

  “I’ve looked around your neighborhood.”

  The Leader actually smiled, “Well, you’re right. Several thousand did die. However, even taking them into consideration, none of the others proved to be worthy of trust. Prove to me beyond all doubt that you’re different.”

  “What are you going to do if I can’t?”

  “We now know where your civilization is and we’ll go and destroy your worlds.”

  RV took a deep breath and said, “This meeting was done to gather information to attack us?”

  “That’s not entirely true. We do want to believe you, but you’ve done nothing to convince us you’re any different from the thousands of others that came before you. It is also necessary that we kill you.”

  The Operator said, “May I ask this being a question?”

  The Leader looked at him and everyone saw him frown. “Go ahead.”

  Jeff turned to RV and said, “I noticed you have feelings for another when I first met you. What is your biggest fear at this moment?”

  RV thought about Cyanna and saw her face in his mind. He saw her coming out of the waves on their honeymoon and the feeling of her next to him on the beach chair. He thought about her smile and he was heartbroken that he was not coming back to her. He knew what it was going to do to her and he wished to his soul that he could spare her the misery he knew she was going to have. His misery would end quickly but she was going to have to live with her sorrow.

  The Operator watched the Council listen to the thoughts of the Human and said, “I only have one more question.” The Council Leader looked at him and nodded. “Where have you seen an emotion like this being is now having about losing the one he cherishes more than life?”

  The Operator stepped back and lowered his head.

  The Council was silent. RV waited for his execution and after ten minutes he looked at the council. He said, “There is nothing I can say that others haven’t said to you in the past. I am sorry that I am inadequate to make you know we would never break our promise.” RV lowered his head and waited.

  The Council Leader looked at the other councilors. Nothing was said. He turned and said, “We accept your promise and we will ally our people with yours.”

  RV looked up confused as the Leader looked at the Operator, “You will join us on the Council. Your wisdom throughout this event has been extraordinary and you have allowed us to see what we would have missed. We thank you.” The Operator nodded and turned to RV.

  RV said, “What just happened?”

  “Of the thousands that came here to make their promises, everyone was frightened for their welfare. You are frightened for others ahead of yourself. That emotion cannot be taught or learned. Either a species has it or they don’t. If you have it, you are capable of placing another’s welfare ahead of your own. You’ve demonstrated that you are worthy of trust.”

  RV looked at the leaders and they saw his determination. “We will never desert you in an hour of need.” RV reached in his pocket and said, “This will deactivate the sensor buoy and bring it into normal space. It is yours to copy and use as you deem best. It is untraceable and encrypted.”

  The Leader of the Council said, “We will send a representative to work out how we want to move forward with this alliance.”

  RV bowed and said, “Thank you.” The Leader smiled and looked at the Operator.

  The Operator turned to RV and said, “You may go back to the one you love. I’m going to do the same after you leave. Your thoughts have reminded me how much she means to me.”

  RV stuck out his hand and after a moment, Jeff shook it. Every member of the Council felt the bond between the two very different beings. They all wanted to go home to their mates. Like Jeff remembered, sometimes the ones that are the most important are forgotten.

  • • •

  RV jumped back to the Havana and found Cyanna waiting on him. She rushed through the shuttle’s opening port and jumped into his arms. She tried hard not to cry but her tears would not be denied. “Shhhh, it’s alright.”

  “Please tell me you weren’t in any danger.”

  RV stroked her hair and held her close. He softly said, “You were there with me and that made all the difference.”

  Later when RV gave George his report on what happened, she felt her heart skip a beat when he related that they knew the location of their new worlds. George said, “Are you sure we can trust them?”

  RV slowly nodded and said, “It’s a remarkable thing that the civilizations that are telepathic are the ones that can be trusted the most. Deception is just not part of their society. I honestly feel we should share our technology with them.”

  “Aren’t they already ahead of us in most areas?”

  “They are, especially in force field development, but they don’t have beams as powerful as the ultra. We need to give it to them.”

  “RV, this is a critical decision. If they have it, they will be able to defeat any of our ships.”

  “They can do that now. I’m more concerned about the other advanced civilizations among the Majors and the other sector. We need to assist them.”

  George ran his hand through his hair and said, “Do what you need to do.”

  • • •

  RV opened the frequency and said, “Is the being named Jeff available for a conversation?”

  “Stand by.”

  After six minutes RV heard, “Hello my friend. What prompts this contact?”

  “I have discussed our new agreement with my leaders and we’ve decided to share our beam weapon with you.”

  “Our beams are quite powerful and are adequate.”

  “We’ve measured the power of your beams and they are not as strong as the one we have on our ships.”

  Jeff stared at RV and said, “Just how much more power does your beam have compared to ours?”

  “Ours are ten times more powerful.”

  Jeff stared at RV on the display and finally said, “I find that difficult to believe.”

  “I’m going to give you some coordinates. If you will bring a ship I will be more than happy to demonstrate the difference. If you could bring a target with you, it would make the demonstration more effective.”

  “Give me a moment.” Jeff dis
appeared from the display and twenty minutes later reappeared, “I will be coming with two ships. One of them will be the target. May I also bring the Leader of the Council?”

  “By all means.”

  • • •

  Two hours later the Havana saw two large orange ships break into normal space. One of them was a new model that had not appeared in the previous chase of the attack craft. RV saw Jeff appear on his display, “We’ve brought our newest battleship. We’ve kept this ship a secret as it has our most powerful force field.”

  “I really don’t want to damage your ship, Jeff.”

  “We honestly don’t think you can. We’re willing to risk that damage to demonstrate the superiority of our technology.”

  RV smiled and Jeff saw something in his expression, “You really think you can penetrate the force field?”

  RV said, “Let’s do it this way. Move the ship fifty miles away and we’ll start the beam at seventy percent and gradually increase the power. We’ll target a section of the force field above the ship so that we don’t hit the ship.”

  The Leader of the Council appeared on the display beside Jeff and said, “Are you capable of targeting that small an area from that range?”

  “You could actually move it to a hundred miles but I feel safer doing it this way.”

  RV saw them look at each other showing doubt but the new battle ship moved away and took station fifty miles away. Jeff said, “You may begin the demonstration.”

  RV said, “Dolly, are you ready?”

  “I am. I’m going to hit the force field out on the edge in front of the bow.”

  “You may fire when ready.”

  • • •

  Jeff and the Council Leader had the scanners running and suddenly were blinded by the bright red beam that shot out from the white ship and hit the force field of their new Beta Battleship. It blew through the force field as if it didn’t exist.

  RV appeared on their display and said, “We didn’t need to increase the power from seventy percent.”

  Jeff stared at the scanner’s readings and said, “That was seventy percent!?!”

  “It was. We’ve determined that we could have penetrated it at sixty percent.”