by S. H. Jucha
The language routine started with a display that the grays were supposed to reply to with a number count. Unfortunately, the grays chose not to participate. They weren’t the Swei Swee or the Ollassa.
Z tried approaching the gray who had attacked him. It only agitated the insectoid, who rose in defense. Nothing Z did managed to encourage the grays to focus on the holo-vid display.
“What about withholding their food?” Salsinona suggested.
“It might be effective, Ser,” Luther said.
“When’s the next feeding?” Renée asked Velsana, who sat comfortably in his mobile unit and was surrounded by med techs.
A tech whispered in Velsana’s ear, and the aging Sylian said, in exasperation, to the tech, “You can respond to the female yourself. I needn’t be your translator.”
“Sorry,” the tech apologized. “By Pyrean standards, it’ll be in about an hour and a half.”
“We’ll return,” Renée said, and her team followed her, as she left for their quarters.
“Fascinating,” Velsana commented. While he’d been present, he received reports from his techs, as to what was happening in the bay. His failing eyes couldn’t focus images at even moderate distances.
“The insectoids aren’t even interested in communicating with the visitors,” the senior tech, a female Sylian, said to Velsana.
“I’d be curious as to what the grays believe the future holds for them,” Velsana mused.
“What if they don’t care what it’ll be?” another tech asked.
“How could that be?” Velsana declared. “They’re sentients. They must think about the future. They have to wonder as to their fates.”
The elderly scientist stared around at his techs, but no one had an answer for him. He swung his mobile chair to return to his lab. The senior tech would ensure that Velsana was escorted to the bay in time to see the visitors’ next attempt with the insectoids.
At the grays’ next servicing time, station crew waited in the corridor with food and water, as Vastzona had directed.
Z went through the airlock first, and the crew followed. Luther took up his position, where he could monitor the insectoids’ ultrasonic emanations.
The grays crowded against the far bulkhead, calling the juveniles to their sides.
Luther sent to Z.
The grays waited anxiously for the food trays and water buckets to be filled.
Z held up a hand to stop the crew from completing their duties, which agitated the grays. He lit the holo-vid and displayed the number sequence.
The adults refused to participate, and eventually, they lost control over the juveniles. When the young scurried across the deck for the waiting food, the crew dropped their buckets and fled.
Z stepped over the hungry juveniles, who were intent on getting at the spilled food.
“Try one more time,” advised Renée, when everyone was safely in the corridor.
The next time was just as disastrous for the SADEs and the crew. Only, it happened swifter than before. The juveniles had learned a new lesson. It was to listen momentarily to the adults. Then, when the large creature’s tool lit, it was the signal to rush for the food.
After a meal in their quarters, Renée said to her companions, “Our attempt at learning the Colony’s language is fast becoming a failure. For my part, I’m unwilling to return to Pimbor without something to assist those individuals fighting the Colony. Ideas?”
“Z and I propose to isolate simple commands that adults communicate to the juveniles,” Luther volunteered.
“Go on,” Renée requested.
“Ser, we calculate that the captain might be able to make use of commands that cause the juveniles, maybe even the adults, to come out of hiding and congregate,” Luther explained.
“Interesting. Work on that. If anyone has other thoughts on what commands to learn, please communicate them to Luther or Z,” Renée directed.
“There’s a Sylian night raptor, a sotter, that’s developed an appetite and a knack for dealing with small insectoid juveniles,” Salsinona said. “I’ve heard from station crew that the sotter population is booming from the abundance of prey.”
“What’s your idea?” Renée requested.
“I know species introduction to a foreign world can have disastrous results,” Salsinona replied, “but I was thinking that we could take mated pairs back to Pimbor.”
“The Pims could tell us if they thought the sotters might crowd out their species,” Kasie offered.
“Z, Luther, any information on Pimborian night raptors or other nocturnal species?” Renée asked.
“None, Ser,” Luther replied.
“We could tag the sotters,” Z said. “If they become a problem, they could be tracked, captured, and returned.”
Renée thought for a moment, and then she said, “Salsinona, request Her Excellency provide us with mated pairs of sotters. Ask her to keep them separated for transport. We’ll collect them ...” she paused and eyed Z.
“Within three days,” Z supplied.
Immediately, Salsinona left to contact the monarch.
“I wish we were bringing your brother better assets than these,” Renée lamented to Kasie.
“Your arrival at Pimbor has been a greater gift to Jess than you’ll probably ever know, Renée,” Kasie replied.
In the afternoon, Z stood guard, while crew cleaned the deck in the grays’ bay. Then fresh food and water was added to the trays and buckets.
Luther recorded the adults’ ultrasonic sounds. It was the same command repeated over and over.
When Z and the crew cleared the bayside airlock hatch, the command changed, and the juveniles rushed forward. Then the adults slithered after them.
Luther shared with Z.
Z proposed.
Z sent.
Z shared his abbreviated list of suggestions with Luther, and they set about designing actions that hopefully would result in the simplified commands they wanted to collect.
To prevent the young frightening away the crew, Z requested a barrier be erected. It began at the bulkhead just beyond the feeding station. Then it surrounded the station and ended to the right of the airlock. One gate allowed individuals to enter the open bay area, and another gate allowed the insectoids to get to the food and water. Now, the crew could service the grays’ feeding station without fear of the juveniles.
When feeding time approached, Z motioned the crew inside. Their bodies from midchest upward were visible, and the adults called the juveniles to their sides. The filling of the trays and buckets were clearly audible. Immediately afterward, the crew rushed out of the bay.
The adult grays released the juveniles, who scrabbled at the barrier to reach the food. By design, the barrier was high enough that the young couldn’t reach the top and pull themselves over it.
As a warning to the adults not to approach the feeding station, Z stood on the far side of the enclosure. Once again, he displayed the holo-vid, with its first sequence. After an hour of no response, Z slid the gate aside to allow access to the food and water. Then he departed.
When the next opportunity ar
rived, Z and Luther found the juveniles clustered around the trays and asleep.
When Z moved toward the trays and the dozing juveniles, the adults reared. Strangely, they didn’t hiss, but ominously, they wove from side to side.
Z had the crew set up new trays and buckets against the bulkhead that paralleled the corridor.
When food and water was brought to the new station, the juveniles obeyed the adults’ commands to return to the adults. Routine was restored for the crew and the grays.
Thereafter, the original feeding station and its barrier were dismantled and removed.
Z and Luther tried a series of experiments. Each one was repeated several times. The results were always the same.
“No progress at all?” asked Renée, when the SADEs reported the sum of their activities.
“That, in itself, is valuable, Ser,” Luther said. “Alex will need to know this.”
“Alex believes in the possibility of an enemy’s enlightenment,” Z added. “Only in rare situations has it been abundantly clear that redemption is not possible, or their acts were so egregious that force was used to halt their activities. The Colony is a race that falls into these circumstances.”
“Aboard this station, the grays, adults and juveniles, are fed, watered, and treated with dignity,” Luther continued. “They’ve every reason to cooperate, and yet, they choose not to participate. They’re unyielding.”
“In other words, the Colony will never turn aside from their pursuit of expansion and conquest,” Renée said.
“That’s our determination,” Z replied.
“Ser, a lieutenant has arrived with a mated pair of sotters,” Luther announced. “Admiral Gaumata believes you should observe them for yourself.”
By the time Renée and her companions arrived in the bay, the crew had the cage on the deck.
At first glance, the birds, which had settled on a branch, appeared docile and half asleep.
“They’re nocturnal,” explained the lieutenant, when he saw the perplexed expression on Renée’s face. “This is their rest period.”
“They’re bigger than I thought they’d be,” Renée commented.
“The wing spans of the adults range from a meter and a half for the females to two meters for the males,” the lieutenant replied.
Renée knelt by the cage. The larger sotter, the male, partially opened its eyes. It stretched its beak in a yawn and flexed its talons on the branch before resuming its sleepy state.
Abruptly, Renée stood and said, “Return this pair to the individual who supplied them. The captured sotters are to be released. Have the admiral inform the monarch that we won’t need them.”
“Understood,” the lieutenant replied. “That was the admiral’s opinion when he saw them.”
While crew loaded the cage on the traveler, Renée and the others exited the bay. Renée couldn’t shake the image of a Pimborian kit dangling from a sotter’s wickedly sharp and powerful talons. She saw its lifeless body flown back to the nest to be torn apart by fledglings.
“I’m sorry, Renée,” said Salsinona, walking beside the Omnian co-leader. “I’d only seen sotter fledglings when I was young. I remembered cute fluffy chicks.”
“It can’t be helped, Salsinona,” Renée said calmly. “I’m disappointed that we’ll be returning to Pimbor having gained so little from our trip, which reminds me. Are you staying on at Sylia?”
“I was hoping to return and support the veterans,” Salsinona replied.
“I’m sure they’d welcome your company,” Renée said.
“Thank you,” Salsinona said, in a rush.
After evening meal, Vastzona requested to see Renée.
“Her Excellency Talsoma requests you meet with her tomorrow,” Vastzona said. “How shall I reply?”
“We’ll be there in the morning,” Renée replied. “Afterward, we’ll be returning to Pimbor.”
Vastzona nodded in understanding and left the room.
Renée linked to Darius through Z.
Darius sent.
Darius replied.
Renée met briefly with Velsana and Vastzona before her trip planetside.
“As far as we’re concerned,” Renée said to the Sylians, “you’ve prisoners for life in your bay that will continue to multiply. They’ll eat, sleep, and procreate.”
“What are you recommending?” Vastzona asked.
“Nothing,” Renée replied. “Our people supported the request of Captain Cinders to transport the remains of a Colony shuttle here to study the insectoids. We’ve learned that the adult grays don’t intend to cooperate. The SADEs believe they’ll increase in numbers as long as you feed and care for them. When the opportunity presents itself, you’re likely to experience a breakout and an attempt to take over the station.”
“Insidious,” Velsana said, in a hush.
“That’s as good a description as any,” Renée replied. “If you’re unwilling to dispose of them, then we advise that you never let your guard down. Never leave both sides of the airlock open for easy crew access. The insectoids are much faster than Sylians. Also, post multiple guards at both ends of the corridor whenever the crew services the bay.”
Vastzona looked with concern at Velsana, who patted the station director’s hand to calm him.
“We thank you for the warning, Renée de Guirnon,” Velsana said. “I’ll inform Her Excellency that we’re assuming full responsibility for the grays from this moment forward. It’ll be her decision as to what we do with them. Safe journey to you and your command.”
Afterward, Renée joined the others aboard a traveler, which exited the station’s bay and descended for the palace compound.
“We’ve not lost our prominence,” Z remarked. For the benefit of Kasie and Salsinona, he used the holo-vid to display the crowd that awaited their arrival.
“It’s not every cycle that you’ve the opportunity to watch a shuttle hover a meter off the ground without engine flare,” Salsinona noted.
“And here I thought they came to see me,” Z quipped.
“What’s better than a floating ship?” Kasie asked rhetorically. “An enormous SADE leaping out of a floating ship,” she answered, with a grin.
“With respect to Z, it might be more than that,” Luther commented. “Gaze around. We’re quite the collection of individuals.”
Renée smiled to herself. Yes, we are, she thought. We’re the house that Alex built.
When the Omnian shuttle descended, Talsoma walked quickly to meet the visitors. She waited until Z disembarked, then she said to him, “I’m going with you.” She handed the SADE a device, adding, “This will direct you to a signal.”
Talsoma jumped. One foot struck the lowest step on the hatch, and then the next hit the shuttle’s deck.
Z quickly followed.
Everyone resumed their seats, and Renée invited Talsoma to sit beside her.
“I’m sorry to hear the sotters were unsuitable,” Talsoma said to Renée. “Many of us were so focused on helping dispatch the juveniles on Pimbor that we forgot about the Pims.”
“Can I ask what this side trip is about?” Renée asked.
“What you’ll see is more powerful than what I can describe in words,” Talsoma replied. “I ask for your patience.”
Renée glanced across the aisle at Darius, who remained s
toically silent.
Z identified the device’s signal source, located it in the traveler’s telemetry, and marked the position for the pilot. Then he deactivated the device, walked up the aisle, and returned it to Talsoma.
The monarch regarded the inactive tool and regarded Z. “What can’t you do?” she asked.
“I can’t dance like Killian,” Z remarked and returned to his post at the aft bulkhead.
Talsoma turned her attention to Renée, who hid a smile beneath her hand. “I won’t even ask,” the monarch said, in resignation.
The cabin lights brightened, and the hatch dropped. Z was the first out. The Sylians jumped, and everyone else used the steps.
Renée gazed across a field of uniformed Sylian troopers. They stood at attention in neat rows. In their arms were weapons with bulky packs attached to the undersides.
“Energy weapons,” Talsoma said, when she saw Renée focus on the nearest trooper. “It issues a narrow beam and is deadly at close range.”
“Are you expecting another Colony invasion?” Renée asked.
“No,” Talsoma replied. “These troops are for you. It’s time to resurrect the Resistance. Every alliance race must take advantage of your presence and technology to banish the Colony once and for all.”
“Your Excellency, Captain Cinders has pointedly refused to use the security personnel our fleet brought,” Renée said. “No disrespect to your troops, but we would expect our people to fare better against the insectoids.”
“I respect the captain’s struggle with his conscience,” Talsoma said, “but this is every race’s fight, not just his.”
“What are you asking us to do with them?” Renée inquired.
“We’ve learned of your great ship, the Freedom,” Talsoma replied. “I ask you to transport these troops and their supplies to Pimbor.”
“What if Jess won’t accept them?” Kasie asked.
“Then they’ll hunt the insectoids under their own command,” Talsoma replied, with conviction.
“Many more will die that way,” Kasie pointed out.
“Perhaps,” Talsoma said. “Then that too will be on Captain Cinders’ conscience.”
Kasie’s power spun up, and she clamped down hard on her anger.
