by GARY DARBY
Rosberg gave a curt bow to Ku’ral and turned on his heel. With Tarracas by his side and Dason and Brant following, Rosberg marched them swiftly back to the IntrepidX.
Once through the airlock, they found Captain Federov waiting for them. Dason sensed from his tight lips and rigid body that something was wrong.
In rapid, clipped tones, he said to Rosberg, “Sir, would you, Scoutmaster Tarracas, and the lieutenant join me in my cabin? There is something that you must see immediately.”
Rosberg gave a quick, “Of course,” and he, Tarracas, and Brant hastily followed the captain forward.
Dason turned to Shanon, Sami, TJ, and Nase, who waited nearby. Though the universe seemed to be tearing apart, he couldn’t help the smile that came to his lips when he saw them standing there.
Still somewhat wan and shaken from their experience; nevertheless, Dason thought they were a glorious sight.
“Anybody,” he asked, jerking his head toward where Rosberg and the others had disappeared through a hatchway, “know what that was all about?”
Shanon shook her head. “Haven’t a clue. How did it go with the council?”
Dason was about to answer when Doctor Stinneli strode into the passageway. He motioned to the young scouts and said, “There you are. I’ve been looking for you all over the ship, it’s time for another checkup.”
Seeing Alena standing silent and apart from the group, he gestured toward her, “You too,” Stinneli said. “Seeing as how you seem to be a part of this crazy zoo, you might as well join in, too.”
Alena wore a Star Scout uniform of appropriate rank, the matter of her court martial still undetermined by General Rosberg. For now, she was to remain with the Star Scout team aboard the IntrepidX but it was evident she felt ill at ease being among the other scouts and knowing that they knew about her sordid past.
A few minutes later, the young scouts and Alena sat to one side of the sick bay while Stinneli attended to Nase. He said over his shoulder to Dason, “So, what did the Sha’anay council say?”
“It’s not good,” Dason replied. “We’ve got sixteen days to find Tor’al and return him, or they’re going to go looking for him themselves, and not in a peaceful manner.”
“You mean they’re going to go to war with us?” TJ asked.
Dason rubbed at his mouth, his eyes worried. “To’ran, the mouthpiece for Tor’al’s house said that they would make war on those who are making war on them.
“Frankly, how they would know the difference between a member of the Faction and anyone else, I don’t know, so it sounded like a general threat against all of humanity.”
“Don’t they have any other cards up their sleeves,” Sami muttered, “than getting all hostile and uptight?
“I mean, back on the planet, all they kept doing was running around shooting at people, taking them captive. Someone needs to enroll them in anger management courses.”
“Why don’t you,” TJ said with a bemused expression, “march into their council chambers and suggest that, Sami. Let us know how you make out.”
“It was just an idea,” Sami mumbled.
Nase spoke up. “What was the general’s response?”
Dason shook his head while saying, “Wasn’t much that he could say. The council vote was unanimous and final. The Sha’anay made it clear there was no debate on the issue.”
“So where does that leave us?” Shanon asked.
Dason pressed his lips together and said, “In big trouble, I think. We have no idea where Tor’al is, nor am I sure we know how to find him, especially not in sixteen days.
“I suspect that after General Rosberg relays the council’s message that the Imperium will pour resources into the hunt, but, as they say, space is wide, space is deep.”
“Okay, Nase,” Stinneli said. “I’m done, and the good news is that it would appear that your atoms are still holding together.”
He gestured toward Shanon and said, “You next, hop up on the other exam table.”
Shanon gave Dason a tiny smile before she scooted up on the cushioned bed and lay down. Stinneli brought over several diagnostic tools and began examining her.
“Say, doc,” Sami commented, “has anyone figured out yet how the Mongans kept us alive in that thingamajig? I mean, all I remember is falling over the cliff, then a bright blue light, and then poof! I wake up here.”
Stinneli snapped off the resonance scanner that he’d held over Shanon’s torso and stepped back. He leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. “I’ve spoken to the SciCorps scientists that have the device now.
“From what I’ve heard so far, there is a working hypothesis that the Mongan technology breaks down matter into its molecular form and holds it in stasis.”
He reached over and held up a LifeSensor. “We know that each species gives off a distinct electromagnetic signature. That’s how you scouts use these so effectively, by programming the LS to the exact frequency of the species that you’re trying to find or study.
“The thought is that the Mongan device acts in a similar manner but on a much more advanced level.
“You see, using humans as an example, it may be that not only do we, as a species, have a signature but that distinct individuals within species have unique, one-of-a-kind signatures or frequencies as well.”
Sami snorted and said, “Hey, I could have told those eggheads a long time ago that I was a one of a kind. You mean to say they’re just figuring that out?”
Stinneli smiled. “I guess so, Sami. Of course, most of them haven’t met you or they would have readily recognized your unique, um, frequency, you might say.
“But getting back to our discussion, it may well be that the Mongans know how to ‘tune’ the device not only to the species molecular characteristics, but they go one step further and identify an individual’s exclusive markers.
“So, when they teleported you, the device stored your unique signature for later retrieval.”
“Okay,” Sami said, “then why was Shanon the first to pop out? My physique being so unique; I should have been first.”
TJ elbowed Sami hard in the ribs. “You’re unique all right, there’s no one else in this universe with an ego like yours.”
“Hey,” Sami commented, “take it easy, my bruises bruise easily.”
Dason laughed and said in a light tone, “Sami, you still don’t make a lot of sense but it’s good to have you back.”
Stinneli went on to say, “To answer your question, Sami, I think it either was a case of last in, first out, or somehow that’s how the Mongans programmed the device. But that’s not even an educated guess, you know.”
Alena asked, “Have they been able to bring anyone else out of the stasis ball?”
“No,” Stinneli stated in a disappointed tone. “They developed a compu program that gave them every possible combination of pressing the little side indents, but so far, nothing.
“They’re beginning to think that maybe there were only you four scouts in that particular sphere.”
“So,” TJ asked, “there could be more spheres out there with other people held like us?”
Stinneli nodded while remarking, “That very well could be.”
“How long do you think,” Nase asked, “that someone could be held in stasis like that and survive?”
“Interesting question, Nase,” Stinneli answered. “From my exams of you four, all in all, you seem to be in excellent health. If you are any indication, then it’s possible that a human could survive for quite some time in that state.
“However, you were only genies in the bottle for a few days so that may not be a fair statement.”
“Genies in the bottle?” Sami frowned.
“You know, Sami,” Dason answered. “The Aladin and the genie in the bottle story.”
“Amigo,” Sami grunted, “I have no idea who this Aladin character is. On what planets did he make a First Landing?”
“Later, Sami,” TJ patiently murmured, “I’ll expl
ain later.”
“But,” Shanon said as she sat up, “I was so cold and weak when Dason and Alena brought me out of the device. I feel fine now, but surely someone couldn’t survive like that for very long.”
“It’s true that your core body temperature was a bit lower than normal,” Stinneli explained. “But it wasn’t anywhere close to the point of metabolic degradation.
“I think what you experienced was more of a physical and mental shock of going from the stasis to where your brain had to sit up and take notice that you needed to breathe, to function outside of suspended animation.”
He shrugged. “A little bit like the birthing process, in some ways. However, all of your vital signs, your neurological processes, and so forth, all returned to almost normal within a few minutes after you came out of hibernation.
“And I might add from what I’ve seen, your appetites didn’t suffer one bit. I understand the Navy cook is complaining that you’re eating enough for a whole extra crew and then some.”
“What will they do with the device, doc?” Alena asked.
“Keep studying it, of course,” Stinneli replied. “If they get to where we understand how it works, and it’s safe, I’ve already thought of a couple of medical uses for it that would be of great benefit.”
“Such as?” Dason prompted.
“Well,” Stinneli replied rubbing at his chin, “though we can wonders with medicine these days, there are still some human diseases that we can’t cure and the patiently ultimately dies.
“What if we could put them in stasis for however long it takes until we find the cure for what ails them.”
“Or,” he said, brightening at a sudden thought, “what if one of you scouts was critically hurt on an OutLand planet and might die before you can be transported back to an adequate medical facility?
“What if we had one of these portable gizmos and could put you in suspended animation until we could get you back and fix you up proper?”
Sami grunted, “Glad we could be of some use to the medical community, but no, don’t ask me to be a genie pig for that thing again.”
“You mean guinea pig,” TJ replied.
“But you said we were—” Sami began.
“Never mind,” TJ smiled. “You want to be a genie pig, have it your way.”
“Anyway, I wouldn’t worry about it, Sami,” Stinneli began, “I don’t think—”
A voice blaring through the overhead comm unit interrupted him by saying, “All members of Star Scout Command will report on the double to the forward ready room.
“Repeat, all Star Scout Command members report to the forward ready room.”
Dason stood and said, “That’s us, let’s go.”
Stinneli started to protest but Alena said, “Save it doc, something tells me that wasn’t a cordial invitation to dine with the captain. The Sha’anay may have gone on the warpath earlier than scheduled.”
With Dason leading, they all trooped out of sickbay and a few minutes later joined the rest of the Star Scouts in the large briefing room.
Standing at the front with stonelike eyes were General Rosberg, Scout Master Tarracas, and Captain Federov. Rosberg motioned to Brant and said, “Lieutenant, is everyone here?”
Brant turned and did a quick head count. “Sir, the company is formed,” he said to Rosberg.
“Thank you,” Rosberg replied and stepped forward to address the scouts. He cleared his throat and said, “What I am about to show you is to be considered close hold and not, I repeat not, to be shared with the IntrepidX crew.
“Captain Federov will take care of that matter with his crew at the proper time. I can’t and won’t go into the details of how this video was pirated out of the High Council’s chambers.”
His mouth flickered in a brief smile as he said, “Suffice it to say that we still apparently have some friends that believe in us.”
Pausing, he then went on in a grave manner. “I can’t say for a surety that the video’s contents will make it into the public’s eye, as I doubt that many on the council would want that to happen.
“That we know of it is a small miracle in itself. What I will say is that the Imperium is at a crucial crossroads in its history and my fervent hope is that we choose the right path.”
He drew in a deep breath, let it out. “If not, then the Imperium as we know it may not exist for very much longer.”
Running a tongue over dry lips, he gazed across the assembled scouts. “After the recording is completed, this company will load what stores and supplies Captain Federov makes available to us on the Zephyr craft.
“We will then boost out on a heading that I will determine once we are away from the A’Cilles. Again, I repeat, I want no discussion of what you are about to see with anyone from the Navy crew.”
Rosberg nodded and said to Federov, “Captain, if you please.”
Federov leaned over to a small, inset control board and pressed a few buttons. The lights grew dim, and on the large vu-screen in the room’s front, an image built up.
Dason had never been inside the Imperium’s High Council chambers on Earth, but he recognized the setting from various newscasts and digi-plat photos.
The camera caught the three senior councilors sitting at the room’s head and the twelve other council members sitting around an expansive horseshoe-shaped table.
The image changed so that the tall chamber doors came into view and began to crack open. The image zoomed in so that the viewer felt like he was standing almost head high in front of the enormous, but plain doors.
The doors swung wide open, and two figures strode through the wide gap.
Sharp gasps sounded in the room.
One of the individuals was the hooded and robed figure that Dason had seen on Marsten’s World, the Faction leader who had kidnapped and held the Sha’anay captive.
The other figure who strode with confident steps between the doors was Elder Tor’al.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Star date: 2443.086
The Imperium’s High Council Chambers
Marching into the council’s chambers, Tor’al and the robed man stopped a few meters from the council table. The hooded figure leaned toward Tor’al and said something. Tor’al gave a small nod of his head, straightened, and spoke forcefully.
“I am Elder Tor’al of the Sha’anay Nation,” he said, speaking in the Imperium’s Common Language.
“You know of us and how we came to be in this part of the galaxy. I speak for the Sha’anay and I will speak plainly, for that is the way with us.
“You are in grave danger. Even now, the hated Mongans gather their forces in a vast fleet of warships beyond even which you can imagine.”
He leaned forward as if to emphasize his words. “They now know where your home world and star lies. They will come soon to destroy you and your civilization. You have made war upon them, and they will not rest until there are no more humans in the galaxy.”
The room exploded with shouting as High Councilors jumped to their feet, some waving their arms, while another beat a fist on the table.
Two ran to the head of the table where the senior councilors sat and started wildly gesturing at Tor’al and the hooded man.
Constance Krause, the presiding High Councilor, pounded on the table, demanding order. After some time, the councilors quieted down, and Councilor Krause rose and placed both her hands on the counter.
“Elder Tor’al,” she began, bowing her head slightly toward the Sha’anay, “I apologize for the interruption, but your words are most startling and frightening.
“We know of you and your people, of course, and most assuredly we know of the Mongans, but what you have presented to us is beyond imagination and beyond terrifying.”
She hesitated before motioning with one hand toward Tor’al. “Please continue.”
Tor’al nodded and said, “I will be candid and tell you of things that I know to be true. Your fleet is no match for that which the Mongans posse
ss. With but a few of their craft, they swept aside the armada of ships that you sent into what you call the Helix Nebula. Their fleet is greater than anything we have seen, and it continues to grow.
“Your planetary defenses cannot save you, your warriors will no doubt fight bravely, but in the end all will be destroyed. Alone, you cannot stop their advance, and I shudder to think of what will happen here.”
His head swung from side to side as if appraising the expressions that his comments had drawn from his remarks before continuing, “The Sha’anay are ready to stand with you, but our blood will come at a price, humans.
“What is before you today is whether or not you are willing to bear the cost or are you confident in your ability to stand alone against the vaunted Mongans and their immense armada.”
Frowning deeply, he growled, “From what I have seen of your warships, I would be far, far from confident. But the choice is yours, humans. Are you willing to pay the cost of having the Sha’anay as your allies in this fight, or not?”
He folded his arms, standing as if waiting for an answer. Councilor Krause again rose from her seat and asked in a voice that was a little shaky, “What are the Sha’anay terms, Elder Tor’al?”
Tor’al gave a curt nod in reply. “We have met treachery among your people, humans. I demand that those who stole from us, who killed and injured many of my Sha’anay warriors, and aided our sworn enemies, the Mongans, to escape only to wreak havoc and bloodshed once again on us be brought with swiftness to justice.”
“Hey,” Sami whispered in an intense voice to Dason, “is he talking about who I think he’s talking about?”
“Be quiet, Sami,” Dason ordered.
Councilor Krause peered at Tor’al with intense eyes and a deep frown. “Who among us has done this to your people, Elder Tor’al?”
“They are called among you, Star Scouts,” Tor’al replied. “They were on the planet in the Helix Nebula where we battled the Mongans and captured several of our hated enemies.
“Through the deceit of certain of these Star Scouts, they willingly set a triad of captured Mongans free. Those same three brought tragedy and bloodshed among my warriors on the planet.
