by Gabe Sluis
was made. We do not tear space in such a fashion. This was (perpetrated?) by
young (wanderers?).
A: I have tried to convince them that you are truly wise and would never do this. But
these humans, who I only advise, are not convinced. Show them your grace (knowledge?). Send them back to the tear, let them return home whole, and have no want of action with you.
B: That would be (positive?) for them, as they are nothing but [mʑoãk](A kind of pest?) to us.
--Pause--
B: They shall be sent back. You are to council them to never approach us in
such a foolish manner again. We see that some of the humans have died at the
hands of our warriors, as well as our own have too sacrificed. We call this fair. Return your ship to theirs and we will send you away.
A: The humans will be told. I ask a gift. I am not to return with them. I wish to be sent elsewhere, as my time with them has ended.
B: Fair. We shall demonstrate our wisdom and compassion by sending them
away, with no more harm to them.
--More pause, the channel is open but on mute. The remaining transmission came back on mid-conversation.--
B: …we can send you to this place. The point you seek is unknown to us, as is
most of this region (space?). We can send you close, and you will have to travel the rest of the way.
A: I express my thanks in accepting mediation in this matter.
B: Your skills have again saved further action on both sides. We grant your
request as recompense.
--End of Transmission--
Kanalet finished reading the transcripts and sat in silence as Rucker droned on about the particulars of the translation and further things that mattered so much less than what he just discovered. How could some child from Northern Colombia do all this? The mystery was getting larger and more questions kept arising. This was going to be quite a report.
“…And as I said, our job is just to translate, but the content is shocking. We try to ignore it and just focus on the product, but we are human after all…” Rucker continued. “Is that all you will be needing, Major? You can also tell the Grand Marshal that a full translation program will be the highest priority of this department…”
“No, that’s fine. I’ve come for what I needed. You have been helpful, thank you.” Kanalet got to his feet and started out the door, leaving Mathew Rucker sitting alone in the large room.
As soon as Major Kanalet got out the door, his scroll buzzed with a face-to-face call. He saw it was the Grand Marshal himself. Kanalet raked a hand through his hair and answered his scroll.
“Ram! I saw you just exited the Linguistic Department. Are you alone?”
“Yes, Sir. I just got the translated transcripts of the communication from the Aurora. You are not going to believe what I found…”
“Oh, I’m sure I won’t,” Midord cut him off. “I have had a day full of things I just don’t believe. I have a ship on its way for you, along with two of my men. They will be on the roof in twelve minuets. Now, get ready for this, Lieutenant Novalis and Tech. Specialist Crescent just turned up in some small town on the edge of the Great Desert in northern Africa.”
“What? The Prime Meridian confirmed they were not on board with them and had to be on the Aurora!”
“That’s what I said, and I even confirmed their DNA check-ins, there is no way they were not part of the mission across the Rift!”
“Then how are they on Tellus? The Prime Meridian is not supposed to make it back here for another six days.”
“I know. I am sending you to pick them up and debrief them on the way back here to Camlon. I want to know exactly what the hell is going on. Five days,” the Grand Marshal said, “Five days since the incident and they are back on Tellus… Go get them, Ram.”
“I’m on it, Sir.”
