by S. H. Jucha
“Absolutely not,” Étienne replied. Belatedly, he regarded Ellie.
“Are you two ... um?” Nikki began.
“Partners, yes,” Ellie supplied. “And my partner is worried that he overstepped command bounds.”
Ellie turned to Étienne and said, “I’d like to borrow from the president’s admonishment. For this to work, we must collaborate, regardless of rank or skills.” She eyed Étienne and then Hector, receiving a nod from each.
“Do you wish me to be part of this conference?” Portia asked, directing her query to Ellie.
In turn, Ellie regarded Nikki, who said, “Contact me when you need to, Portia. You’ll appear in my filtered list. State if it’s an emergency.”
Portia nodded gratefully. The thought of being responsible for advising the president within a five-way conference unsettled her.
“We’ve the method,” Nikki said. “Now let’s begin my update. Who are the players? What are their home world conditions, and what do they want?”
The afternoon went by swiftly. They stopped to eat, but Nikki couldn’t resist continuing the discussion during the meal. Then the update continued until Ellie suggested they break for rest, which Portia appreciated. Nikki was known to push herself too hard.
“You know what I appreciate the most?” Nikki said, as the team parted company. “Apart from the wonderful advice, it’s this implant in my head.” Then she laid a hand on Hector’s shoulder, adding, “And this individual. I’ve all this wonderful data organized in my implant. Images of the reps, their worlds, their affiliations, their alliances, and their needs.”
“Then you feel ready for tomorrow?” Ellie asked, encouragingly.
“No,” Nikki declared. “I’m concerned I might make an idiot of myself, but yesterday I was certain I’d foul it up.”
Laughter was the note on which the five departed.
When the door slid closed behind Nikki’s guests, Portia regarded Nikki.
“Ready or not, Portia, here it comes,” Nikki said, and then she headed for her bedroom. She didn’t think she would get much sleep, but the rest would be welcome.
* * * * *
The following morning, every media outlet on Earth and Mars that could afford to send a reporter and a drone operator had made preparations to capture the conclave’s events, especially the delegates’ entrances.
It was known that the city-ships’ travelers wouldn’t be landing in hidden bays. They would touch down on a pad directly in front of the hall. The world leaders or their delegates would exit the ships. Then the travelers would lift, as the attendees walked the sixty meters to the hall’s entrance.
Over the media’s implants and drone transmissions, a SADE would introduce the individuals, their worlds, and their regions of space.
The media were annoyed with one aspect of their setup. The vid cam operators had arrived early to occupy the premier spaces to view the reps descending the ramps. However, they found that their drones wouldn’t go where directed.
A few smart operators figured it out and passed the message. A Trident floated overhead, about three hundred meters up. The warship’s controller had established a no-fly zone around the travelers’ landing zone, and the tiny drones were dutifully obeying the restrictions.
Aboard the city-ships, most of the delegates were surprised that they weren’t descending with individuals from their territories.
When Talsoma heard that she would board a traveler with the New Terran delegate, Maria Rodriquez, she gazed at the SADE accompanying her. Unfortunately, her moot inquiry failed to elicit an answer.
The soft chittering of Tockitak’s daughter did catch the group’s attention. “We would hear your thoughts, Tanistok,” Tockitak requested.
“Alex Racine plays no favorites, Your Excellency,” Tanistok explained. “He has no allegiances to races or worlds. Although, he has many ardent friends and supporters. He arranges arrivals to indicate to Earthers that we’re all the same. He’s a clever human.”
Talsoma regarded the young Jatouche royal. She’d heard that the matriarch, Tockitak, had feared sending her daughter aboard the Freedom for the extended trip with the Omnians. But it was obvious that the journey had been invaluable to Tanistok. According to reports, her political acumen had improved dramatically, and her views of other races had changed for the better.
Alex did choose the representatives’ pairings for the descents, but Julien organized the pilots, travelers, passengers, and launches.
However, it was Cordelia, the ultimate purveyor of presentations, who orchestrated the unveiling. She didn’t allow the travelers, which would deliver the conclave’s attendees, to stack up overhead.
Pilots were instructed to drop rapidly from high above and then slow for the last few meters. They were to touch down with either ramp or hatch facing the hall’s entrance. When the passengers cleared the ships, the hatches or ramps were to be fully retracted, and then the launch was to reverse the landing — slow and then fast. The next pilot wasn’t to begin the descent until the prior ship had cleared the airspace.
The media and crowd waited breathlessly. Chronometers were checked time and again.
Exactly on the hour, a traveler dropped swiftly from the sky only to slow in the final moment. It was an exhilarating exhibition of Omnian technology.
The first traveler to land was a cargo model, which puzzled everyone.
Inside the ship, before it began its descent, Terese Lechaux turned to her companion and said, “Give me your arm,” which the ear comms translated.
“It’s attached,” the Hyronzy rep, Hardomia, retorted with a snort. He’d only met the red-haired human the previous evening, but her forthrightness and often bluntness intrigued him.
Terese tugged on the heavy, furred arm, which lay outside the Hyronzy’s long toga. Then she slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow.
“What is the meaning of this gesture?” Hardomia asked. “This isn’t a sign we’re mating, is it?”
Terese and Hardomia laughed at his joke, and she replied, “It indicates to humans that we’re companions. That we’ve mutual interests, as opposed to having been assigned to be together.”
“But that’s how we were paired,” the Hyronzy objected.
“Do you believe that?” Elizabeth, Terese’s SADE, asked.
“Our conversations mustn’t be shared,” Hardomia pointed out.
“And they weren’t,” the outpost SADE, who accompanied Hardomia, replied.
“Emotions and moods are another thing,” Elizabeth added.
Hardomia realized what the SADEs were saying. His delight in the conversations he’d shared with Terese had been noted. That was why he was accompanying her. With an accepting grunt, he lightly patted Terese’s hand. “Then let us be companionly,” he said.
When their traveler’s landing gear touched the pad, Elizabeth signaled the ramp to drop.
Terese let the ramp touch the pad. Then she smiled at Hardomia and tipped her head toward the opening.
Hardomia bared his formidable teeth, and the pair, accompanied by their SADEs, walked down the ramp and toward the hall’s entrance.
The morning sunlight caught Terese’s hair, and it glowed as if afire.
Hardomia’s formidable bulk and appearance generated audible gasps from the crowd.
The media and the crowd reacted to the greeting by the Haraken and Hyronzy delegates, whose introductions they heard in their implants. For the assembled individuals, it was an eye-opening start to the morning’s proceedings.
Gino Diamanté walked side by side with Tockitak, the Jatouche ruler, and her daughter, Tanistok. Their personable style and unique appearance garnered much of the crowd’s attention.
Aboard the traveler, Tockitak had learned of Terese’s gesture from her SADE, and she’d requested Gino’s arms for her and her daughter.
“The
speed and competence of SADEs,” Gino had remarked, chuckling. Then he’d offered his arms to the Jatouche females, glancing knowingly at Winston.
A media and crowd favorite was the exit via a traveler’s hatch of Juliette, cradling the Pims in her arms. Alex had chosen not to send any other passengers with them.
The tiny Pims, Oforum and Phette, balanced on Juliette’s forearms and waved energetically at the bystanders and the media. Juliette subtly shifted her arms to prevent the Pims from falling off their tenuous perches.
Talsoma, the Sylian monarch, descended with Maria Gonzalez.
As Maria expected, Talsoma’s blazing white fur and crystal blue eyes dominated the pairing.
As they walked, Talsoma turned and flashed her canines at Maria. Then she tipped her head and whispered conspiratorially for a few moments.
Maria wondered about Talsoma’s purpose until the monarch said, “I thought I’d share some of the attention.”
Maria laughed heartily, and the media became curious about the bond that might have been formed between the New Terran and Sylian representatives.
Shannon Brixton stepped down her shuttle’s ramp in the company of the Veklocks. While she smiled and waved, the triumvirate often clacked their beaks in protest at the uproar.
Originally focusing on the unusual Veklocks, producers urged their drone operators to get views of the striking Méridien.
An interesting exchange took place aboard the next traveler to land that would follow the delivery of the Veklocks and Shannon.
Leaders Lawrence Teressi and Dieter Gerhardt found themselves in the company of two enormous individuals. Neither had wished to communicate with the scaled and frightening aliens.
While the pilot waited her turn to descend, Bortoth linked with Daktora and the two humans. Then he sent,
When Teressi received the translation, he was shocked. He couldn’t believe the ugly creatures were truly sentient, and that they carried implants.
To Teressi’s surprise, Dieter left him and approached the Crocians.
Then Bortoth turned and thumped Daktora’s shoulder.
The solid impact caused the Leaders to wince.
When their shuttle touched down, Gerhardt exited, walking between the Crocians. They were deep in conversation.
At first, the bystanders and media focused on the enormous Crocians. Then they chuckled, having spotted the Méridien Leader who walked forlornly behind the chatting trio.
Nyslara leapt from her hatch to the landing pad, and she extended an arm to steady Leader Emilio Torres’s descent on the steep steps.
The audience was taken aback by the courtesy offered from the savage-appearing alien to the slender human.
Time and again, the media, the crowd, and the general viewing population were treated to images of aliens that challenged their perceptions.
A well-known and popular reporter asked the question and remarked to his viewers, “We’re a race of human beings, but do we know what it means to be human? We’re seeing aliens who understand and practice the concepts of generosity and cooperation with others.”
Nemanous, the Norsitchian defense minister, accompanied Leslie Finian, the Pyrean president. The two talked, as if they were friends, which they were.
Senior Captain Gregich nervously descended his traveler’s steps. Alex had Trixie, who represented Omnia, accompany him. He had also added Leader Bartosz Rolek.
Trixie sought to engage Gregich about what he was seeing. Prompted by Hector, Trixie encouraged Gregich to wave to the audience.
Perhaps, one of the more difficult aliens for the bystanders to accept was that of Suntred. Her sharp teeth were displayed in pleasure. Although, that might not have been the crowd’s interpretation.
In Suntred’s excitement, her leathery wings spread and fluttered. The audience went quiet, which confused Suntred.
Miriamette took matters into her own hands. She linked with every implant in the audience, media, and bystanders.
Then Miriamette privately requested Suntred flutter her wings again.
Suntred tentatively flexed her wings, and a small portion of the crowd clapped their hands. Emboldened, Suntred extended them farther, and more people applauded. Then straining them up and out, Suntred beat them as she’d never done since a fledgling.
As the majority of the crowd roared their approval, Suntred flashed her pointed teeth at Miriamette.
The SADE used the audience conference link to send,
Myseth mya Jaknas was intent on not missing an opportunity to make a memorable entrance. She wore a costume that accented her best natural feature, the cascades of tawny silver hair.
Vid cams focused on the details of Myseth’s clothes, and Sol’s couturiers captured images and took notes.
Barden Jacinto, the Omnian representative, walked beside Myseth, and their SADEs followed.
Myseth had received word about Terese’s gesture with the Hyronzy, and she’d adopted the idea too.
“I understand you’ll see the Jatouche for your eyes, Barden,” Myseth commented, as they strolled toward the hall.
After receiving the ear comm translation, Barden replied hesitantly, “Yes.”
“You’re nervous about it?” Myseth queried.
“I’ve had so many operations,” Barden replied. “I’m not anxious to undergo another, work through the therapy, and be told that they tried but achieved little success.”
Myseth barked her laughter, which the vid cams captured. She patted Barden’s arm and said, “Your worries are over, Barden. The Jatouche repair any species as if they were a newborn.”
“I’ve heard that from Alex,” Barden admitted.
“Yet, you don’t believe him,” Myseth surmised. “Does your leader often lie to you?”
“No, never,” Barden said quickly.
“Then what?” Myseth asked.
“Fear ... just fear,” Barden said quietly.
“Then we’ll go together,” Myseth said. “I’ve curiosity about the Jatouche medical facilities. Would you like my company?”
Myseth felt the light shudder that swept through Barden’s body, and her sympathy for his fear and medical condition increased.
For Barden’s part, he was taken aback that the offer of a small alien female would grant him partial relief from his fear. “Yes, I would like that,” he replied gratefully.
“Good,” Myseth replied, and patted Barden’s arm again. “Now, let us enjoy the admiration of these Earthers.”
Soon afterward, the parade of travelers, which had descended at regular intervals, seemed to end. However, the media didn’t move, which prompted the bystanders to wait, thinking the reporters must know something.
Finally, a t
raveler did descend. It had the standard passenger configuration. When it landed, the hatch dropped. There was a delay, which the other ships hadn’t experienced.
Then Alex Racine jumped through the hatch to hit the pad with a resounding thud. The audience held its collective breath, expecting others.
Alex turned toward the hatch to catch Renée de Guirnon, who leapt into his arms. Finally, Julien landed lightly beside the pair. Then, as the trio made their way to the hall, they waved at the assembled crowd.
The bystanders applauded and whistled loudly. They’d just been treated to an eye-popping exhibition of the races who the Omnia Ships’ leaders had known.
34: The Rotunda
Nikki waited inside the Hall’s grand entrance. Beside her, stood Ellie and Hector. Both individuals wore their Omnia Ships uniforms.
Ellie had questioned whether they should adopt more subtle attire.
Alex had denied the request. His response had been, “Eventually, the delegates will understand your advisory roles. I don’t want it to appear as if we were trying to hide that.”
The world leaders and the appointed delegates met and traded introductions with Nikki. She was able to access Hector’s data repository to add a polite question to each short discussion. Actually, she found the data of the incoming delegate popping up in her implant courtesy of the SADE.
Along the walls of the rotunda, servers stood behind extensive displays of refreshments and delicacies. The city-ships had supplied much of the food, and SADEs directed the hall’s kitchen to acquire fresh items from Earth. Each SADE who accompanied a delegate could direct his or her charge to the appropriate station.
Nikki had images of the various races for identification, but she quickly realized that they weren’t to scale. She suspected that Hector either deliberately left that information off or thought it unnecessary. She was invariably surprised when she matched her implant data to the individuals she saw approaching the hall’s wide view plate doors.
Another thing that Nikki couldn’t have imagined was the manner in which she would be greeted by a delegate, depending on her assumptions about the race’s appearance.
