Tales of the Federation Reborn 1

by Chris Hechtl

  “No!” Emory said.

  “It's not like we have a choice, Emory,” Anita murmured, blinking her own triple set of eyelids. The fins on her cheeks moved briefly.

  His antenna rose and then fell backwards in response as he realized the inevitable.

  >=,=@

  “Interesting. This one is smart. But perhaps too smart to let on that she knew that to us. We need her definitely,” the doctor murmured. His eyes keenly scanned the building. He could just make out her shape in a window. “The human woman. I wonder …”

  “Doctor, with all respect we need to get this moving,” the sergeant stated, already losing patience.

  “Ask her how she knows,” the doctor urged, wiggling a finger to the building. “I am curious as to her answer. It may be illuminating in many ways.”

  “If you say so,” the sergeant grumbled turning back to the building.

  >=,=@

  “How do you know this?” the Terran finally asked.

  Mara barked a laugh. “I know. I've seen spacers come recruiting our people for some time now. They want us badly. You want us badly. Do we have a deal or not?” she demanded.

  “Safe passage …,” one of the hated pirates turned to another. “We can't!”

  “We don't have the time to …. We've got to do it or there'll be hell to …,” someone else said gesticulating as he joined them.

  “Sergeant …,” a man in a white medical smock said, motioning to one of the human leaders. The trio of humans leaned together, speaking quietly for a while. Finally, their little powwow broke up. The second man seemed angry, but he finally nodded. The medical man looked up to the window and then away. He grimaced but didn't say anything.

  >=,=@

  “Is this truly what you want, Doctor?” the sergeant demanded.

  “Yes. Even though it is an act of defiance, it is a means to show that we can act in good faith. It serves on many levels.”

  “But those that get away …,” a soldier muttered.

  “There are far more of them where they come from,” the doctor said indifferently. The lieutenant came up behind him. He turned and nodded. “You wish this to be concluded. I need it without bloodshed. This is the fastest way, if they are willing to trust us. I am curious as to the answer.”

  “If they knew what you are planning to do with them …,” the sergeant said.

  “Tish tosh, Sergeant, for the greater good of the empire. Don't tell me you of all people are getting squeamish about these abominations and how we plan to treat them?”

  “No.”

  “Trust me. Yes, they will be cared for. But they like you will serve the empire. They will be molded and shaped into the weapons we now need. You will understand in time. For now, all you need to understand is the order is to go along with the deal. I'll sort them myself,” the doctor said primly.

  “If you say so, Doctor.”

  “And I do.”

  “We're getting tight on loading, Doctor. It might be advisable to take only those you are certain are worth the trouble,” the lieutenant said.

  “Very well,” the doctor said, indicating the sergeant. “Go ahead and tell them,” he ordered.

  The sergeant grimaced but then turned back to the building.

  >=,=@

  “You've got a deal. Send out the first,” the first voice ordered.

  “Volunteers? Mara asked. One small hand was tentatively raised. She nodded. “Atlantia, go,” Mara said, looking over her shoulder. “Anita …”

  “I know. They'll want me.” she looked at Emory. Emory seemed sad as he stared into her eyes.

  “I'll make sure they play it right,” Mara said, holding up a can of precious fuel. It was only half empty, but enough to start a fire if necessary.

  “Spirits of Space bless,” Atlantia said, touching her forearm to Mara's. Mara nodded.

  >=,=@

  Doctor Milgram saw the selkie form and grimaced in annoyance. “No, not that one,” he said, waving her on to the wharf. The being hesitated until he made a shooing motion, then she snaked her way to the boardwalk and then up the lane to the wharf.

  >=,=@

  They watched Atlantia go out. She looked at the humans in terror, then ducked her head as one jerked her head to the shore. She moved at her best pace to the waiting wharf. When she got to the edge, she didn't hesitate; she kept going right over the side into the sea.

  “Now my turn,” Anita sighed as she rose from her position. “Emory …,” she touched arms with him.

  “I'm never going to forgive you if she gets hurt; you know this, right?” Emory demanded, swiveling his eyes to Mara. His fins were flat and depressed, color drained out of him.

  “Then it's best I am going with her,” Mara said evenly. “I'll do what I can to keep them alive.”

  “You do that,” Emory said, watching his friend and occasional lover surrender herself. They watched as the humans took her into their custody. The medical man and his assistants were rough in examining her, but finally she was let into their knot of soldiers. Two bound her in tape to keep her from escaping.

  “Bastards,” Emory muttered.

  “Now you, Emory,” Mara ordered. He flipped his antenna and then moved out without saying anything else.

  She was surprised when they took him as well. Apparently they judged he was sufficiently close to their ideal to keep. Perhaps it was because he walked on legs? She wasn't sure. At least he'd see Anita, she thought, depressed.

  One by one the others went until only two were left. Mara nodded to Jamaica. He nodded back and then left with only one backwards glance. The pirates let him pass.

  Mara found a piece of paper and left a message to Admiral Irons before she surrendered herself. “I had to surrender. Please pass this on to the navy. I'm so sorry, John. I've got to do this. For my people, you know you'd do the same. I know you'll understand. Please, please protect those that survive here.” She tacked it to the door for others to see. Hopefully the pirates wouldn't come in to search for anyone hiding and would leave it alone.

  >=,=@

  “Ah, the real prize,” the doctor said, making Mara grimace and shiver a little. Soldiers held her forearms as the doctor came over and examined her. He saw him tisk at her gills, touching a stylus to them and making her flinch. He made a notation on his tablet then went back to examining her. “My dear, you are almost human. Pity someone had to tamper with your genetics like this,” he said, writing on the tablet

  “Well, at least that makes one of us,” Mara ground out as the soldiers used plastic zip ties and tape to bind her wrists together in front of her.

  “Feisty, nice,” the doctor said, still not looking up. “You are labeled Catch Two, Subgroup Two, Subject Seven. Do remember your new designation, my dear. It will be necessary so we can keep accurate records,” the doctor said.

  “Go to hell,” the blue woman snarled as she was pushed into the group and then they were herded to the waiting shuttle.

  “Such manners,” the doctor said as if mournfully.

  Mara dropped her head when she saw Emory's accusing look. She looked away and fought a sigh. It wasn't until she was on the shuttle and saw Anita and Emory reunited with Sydney that an errant thought caught up with her. Catch 2-2. Catch-22.

  Someone somewhere had a twisted sense of humor she thought in response as they settled into the worn seats and were strapped in. This wasn't how she had thought her first trip to space would be she thought as a nurse went around dribbling water from a sponge. She winced when she felt the wet touch her gills. It was fresh water. She could already imagine her gills itching.

  >=,=@

  “So, you come back with a prize, such as it is, Doctor,” Commander Roshou observed, meeting their shuttle in the boat bay.

  The doctor turned to observe the unloading then back to the commander. “I think they will work out far more than a Ssilli or other true water dwelling species.”

  “Oh?”

  “They are closer to human than I
had thought. The Piceans aren't, but we can make corrections I suppose. Once we get them back to the labs, we can extract what we need.”

  “You can make them less … like monsters, Doctor?”

  “With corrective surgery of course. But the next generation, they will be molded far easier. And the one after that …” he paused to watch a Picean brush off a rough guard. “Easy there!” he barked. “Take them to holding one and do not damage the goods,” he growled. The sergeant barked at the private. The private made a show of politely motioning the alien-looking creature to go where he wanted. The Picean started to refuse but then a small female behind him urged him to obey. He did so.

  “Ah. A family unit. Good. We can use that. The female can be used as leverage to get the male to comply with our orders,” the doctor said, making a notation.

  “The admiral wants a briefing. He is waiting. And if you want Captain Bordou to secure you the lab space and life support you need, you'll need to get her to break the materials and equipment out of storage. Which means, you need to convince the admiral this wasn't a fool's errand, Doctor.”

  “It isn't. You'll see. They are almost human, which means they won't need the life support of the true water dwellers. I deliberately chose those who would meet that criteria.”

  “Understood. You still need to brief the admiral,” the chief of staff said, indicating the way.

  “I can send him an email …,” the doctor saw the set look and then sighed. “Very well,” he grumbled, following along. He'd wanted to see the subjects bedded down. He knew the first days would be crucial to form a bond, but seeing to their long-term comfort was also a priority.

  >=,=@

  Mara was the last to be ushered into what was most likely a prison. Her people were past the point of whimpering. Questions about their future immediately assailed her as the door closed behind her with a heavy clack of the lock.

  She held up her hands. “I don't know. I can guess. They want us to fly their ships as I said. That much I guessed, and they confirmed it.”

  “After what they did? What they are doing?” Sydney demanded. “No! Never!”

  “Never say never,” a rough male voice from a dark corner said. They turned to see a shape there, laying on his side under a blanket. The shape moved then the blanket moved back as the person groaned. “They have ways of making you do what they want. Trust me on that.”

  “Doctor Zane?” Mara asked, eyes wide in surprise. “What are you doing here?” she demanded.

  “The same as you,” he said roughly, turning to sit with his knees up. He wrapped his arms around his legs. “I'd like to say it's nice to see some familiar faces but I don't wish this fate on anyone. I'm sorry you got mixed up in this,” he said.

  “Why are they doing this? Is it like they said? To get us to help them? After everything they've done?” Emory asked. “Is she right?” he asked, indicating Mara.

  “Probably,” the doctor said, heaving a sigh. He eyed Mara. “Mara, right?”

  “Yes, Doctor.” She nodded, studying him. “How'd you end up here?”

  “They raided the navy hospital. We evacuated, but dummy me, I stayed behind to finish the evacuation of the non-priority equipment and supplies while also rounding up those who hadn't been on shift when the order was given. I wanted to make sure they got to safety you see—that and the patients who came streaming in,” he said with a grimace.

  “And they caught you.”

  “And they caught me,” he sighed. “I was the lucky one; they killed anyone not human. It sucks,” he gave a shaky laugh. Mara realized he was on the ragged edge. “They kept me alive to help patch up their own people.”

  “So they can go out and kill more people, loot, pillage, rape, and burn,” Emory said in disgust. “So much for the so-called navy.”

  “Where the hell are they? Why didn't they stop this? Prevent it?” people demanded.

  “Hang on,” Mara said, holding her hands out. “Let the man talk.” She nodded her chin to the doctor.

  Doctor Zane coughed, one hand and arm going to cradle his ribs. “Sorry.”

  “Not your fault, Doctor. We certainly didn't cover ourselves in glory either,” Mara said, taking a seat by his side. “So? Just to relieve them of their question.”

  He snorted, looking up at the accusing eyes. “Damned if I know. I know we've got the naval hospital, recruiting stations, warehouses, and that's about it. The powers that be was focused on sending ships to the front or concentrating them in the shipyards once the admiral got back in contact. That much I know.” He grimaced then worked his jaw. “I also know politics has been involved.”

  “Oh?” Mara asked, eying him. She indicated to Sydney to fetch a cup and some water as the human broke out into another coughing spell.

  “Yeah,” he said weakly as he took the cup from Sydney. “Thanks, kid,” he murmured.

  “No problem.”

  “Politics?” Mara urged after he'd taken a couple shaky sips and a breath or two to get himself under control.

  “Yeah. See, the navy wanted a base and a picket. Then there is the whole tax thing. We were supposed to get an ansible now that they are parsing them out. I got that much from Helen.”

  “Helen … Richards? Doctor Richards?” Anita asked softly.

  “The one and the same,” Zane said, looking up to her and then away. “See, we, the navy that is, wanted to set up a base and picket. Minimum picket since this was considered a relatively safe star system.”

  “Safe he says,” Emory sniffed in disdain.

  “Yeah, a small picket wouldn't have amounted to much. Word I heard is that they've got four destroyers, four cruisers, and a carrier plus ten support ships,” Zane said. “They would have rolled over any pissant picket here.”

  “Right,” Emory growled. “Like a group of sharks chasing down a minnow,” he said.

  “Pretty much,” Zane said, rubbing his chest. Mara's long fingers explored his battered face then went down to explore his ribs. “Don't. I don't think they are broken, but they are cracked at least.”

  “They should be taped. So they want you to help them but they won't help you? And they beat you?”

  “For fun sometimes. I heard they did worst to other prisoners but only rumors. They've kept me fairly isolated up until now,” Zane said. “But, back to what I was saying …,” he shifted as Mara wadded the ragged bedding up into a pillow for his back. “Thanks. Anyway, the government doesn't want to pay taxes and wasn't happy about Feds on the planet or in orbit. Something about the threats … I wasn't paying too much attention. But that's why the navy isn't around, at least not in space.”

  “Great.”

  “So, what about you? What do you plan to do?”

  “I'm not sure,” Mara said slowly, eying the group.

  “I can get you medication. Help you suicide if you wish. It's what I should do, but I'm too damn stubborn. I've been clinging to the hope of a rescue; stupid, isn't it? Being rescued like some damsel in distress? That only happens in holos,” he said in bitter disgust.

  “I … don't know,” Mara said slowly, honestly. “I'll, um, get back to you on that.”

  “Don't wait too long Zane said. He sighed. “I need to rest. I suggest you do the same. Something tells me you are all beat too.”

  “Yeah,” Mara said, nodding to where Sydney was huddled against her parent's legs. “Syd, can you help me get everyone some water? We'll bed down and then get some rest. Hopefully something will break for us soon,” she said.

  “Not likely,” Zane muttered, unwadding his blanket as he turned over to go back to sleep.

  >=,=@

  “Problems, Admiral?” the doctor said, coming into the wardroom. “I heard something about a dustup?”

  “You could call it that,” the admiral growled, waving to Commander Roshou to dismiss him. “We lost Adventure Galley, damn it. And we didn't get a big enough piece of that Resolution to compensate for the loss.”

  “Bit off more than you c
an chew?” the doctor asked, eyes wide.

  “Yes. But that isn't your concern. Report.”

  The doctor frowned, but when he saw the flint in the other man's eyes he nodded. “Very well, Admiral, I am pleased to report that we have found the quarry we have been looking for.”

  “You believe they will suffice?”

  “Yes. We need more though. The mandate is to get as many as possible. I can support a hundred, two if they are children,” he said.

  “You want to go back down,” the admiral asked dubiously. The doctor instantly nodded. “What about your subjects here?”

  “They will need to be closely monitored and of course cared for. I need you to get Captain Bordou to authorize the unlocking of my equipment. I'll need additional space and engineering support, plus some power and materials.”

  “I see,” the admiral said.

  “It is an Alpha …,” the doctor stopped when the admiral held up a restraining hand.

  “No need, Doctor, I already know. I also know why. I'm behind the priority, really I am. I see the benefits, and I am keenly interested in exploiting them—perhaps sooner over later,” he said.

  “To push them too far too fast is a recipe for disaster, Admiral,” the doctor warned, now dismayed.

  “We may have no choice. We've received new intelligence that Gaston has been heavily picketed with warships, mines, and possibly fortresses. The same for other star systems on our planned return journey.”

  “We just came that way …”

  “But we came the long way, Doctor. And we spent a great deal of time in hyperspace for each jump due to the engineering issues with some of the fleet. That has been rectified. In fact, the industrial material on the planet has allowed us to improve our ships a bit.”

  “And the other ships, sir? The plan to wait for their return?”

  “The Resolution has forced me to decrease my timetable. Obviously I cannot make them aware of this fact. It is something I will have to face, as will they. We will wait until the Federation sends in overwhelming force, then retreat. I hope we have more time, but I fear we don't.”