Q-Gates

by S. H. Jucha

Jess turned toward Minimalist, who was likely to be the most cautious of the SADEs.

  “Kasie is correct,” Minimalist said. “SADEs have studied every operation at the rescued domes, including console menus and glyph input. There are no inconsistencies.”

  “The Messinants were expert engineers,” Luther added. “They valued what they built, and they had techniques that ensured exact replication from dome to dome.”

  “It’s only a matter of discovering each secret,” Kasie emphasized. “You just have to figure it out.” Then she muttered, “Without blowing anything up.”

  “I withdraw my question,” Lucia said. “But I’ll feel better after the first few successful installations.”

  “Admiral,” Minimalist said. “Speaking to your concerns, all teams will wait until Luther and I initiate one pair of gates first. We’ve no doubt of the outcome, but we feel it prudent to take this course.”

  “Thank you for saying that, Minimalist,” Lucia replied.

  “Let’s discuss the processes on-site,” Jess requested.

  “We’ll start by sending cubes —” Mickey began, but he halted when he saw Jess subtly shake his head. “Perhaps, Commander, you should share with us your thoughts on this matter.”

  “Mickey, the purpose of the teams journeying through the gates to arrive ahead of the Tridents is to allow time to initiate communications,” Jess explained. “The team must request the dome administrator communicate with the government leader or leaders. Once contact is established, our individuals can explain the steps to the planet’s principals. In turn, those leaders will direct key dome personnel, such as the administrator and the head of security, to follow your orders.”

  “Ah, diplomacy,” Mickey said in a slow exhale. “Not an engineer’s best trait,” he added, which initiated chuckles and various noises.

  “Afterward, your teams can execute the domes’ safety procedures,” Jess said. Then he tipped his head toward Mickey to continue.

  “We see the first step as cube messages to the other ends of the gates to halt journeying until we initiate continuation with a second message,” Mickey enumerated, and he received Jess’s nod. “I would assume that, as a safety procedure, we would evacuate all local dome personnel.”

  “Affirmative,” Jess replied.

  “That’s not going to go over well for the dome administrator,” Kasie pointed out.

  “Can’t be helped,” Jess replied.

  “In the case of obstinacy, what is our recourse?” Luther inquired.

  “Have the dome administrator contact the leaders,” Jess replied. “Communicate that not only is this a safety concern, but the methods of installation are not to be shared.”

  “That seems a harsh thing to say,” Kasie said.

  “Then substitute a more detailed explanation,” Lucia said. “Let the leaders know that it would be dangerous to demonstrate the complexities of the installation. We fear that individuals might try to replicate the process without a complete understanding of its dangers, and the result could be disastrous. Point out that the process requires instant communications with the second dome, which the races don’t possess.”

  “And if that doesn’t work?” Mickey asked.

  “Then there’s no installation,” Jess said flatly.

  “The other teams will have biologicals capable of drawing the glyphs, right?” Kasie asked.

  “A pair will accompany each team, Kasie,” Luther explained. “We assume that will be sufficient.”

  The group finished their planning session. On exit from the suite, Mickey received a message from Julien, and the engineer took a different route to meet with Alex, Renée, and Julien. He met the trio in the outpost’s central park, which wouldn’t ever be as grand as that of the city-ships. Furthermore, its plantings had yet to mature.

  “Good meeting?” Renée asked Mickey, as he settled next to her on the grass.

  “I was schooled in how to teach my advance teams to act as diplomats,” Mickey grumped. “Have to admit that Jess had a point.”

  Alex chuckled. “That was the hardest part for me to learn,” he said. “I couldn’t understand why individuals didn’t choose paths that benefited others, and my initial reaction was anger when I was confronted by acts of selfishness.”

  “I know the fighting might never be over,” Renée interjected. “In the meantime, I’m willing to become diplomatic if it will reduce the clashes and the loss of lives.”

  Mickey regarded Alex and waited to hear the reason for the meeting.

  “Mickey, how long will you need the Tridents and teams?” Alex asked.

  Mickey turned his attention to Julien and said, “From the launch date of the Tridents, calculate the sailing time to the farthest system, add two to three cycles for time on station, and then add the time for the ships’ returns.”

  Julien produced the answer and shared it.

  “Shortly after the Tridents make Crimsa, Mickey, the fleet will sail,” Alex said.

  “Where to?” Mickey asked.

  “It’s time for the grand plan’s next step,” Renée replied, laying a comforting hand on Mickey’s forearm.

  “Which stop first?” Mickey asked.

  “Sol,” Alex replied. “I’ll confirm several items with the president, Nikki Fowler. This needs to be done in person. Then the colonies ... New Terra, Omnia, Haraken, and finally Méridien.”

  “For a minute, I wondered why Omnia,” Mickey said, with a wry smile. “Then I remembered that we’re Omnia Ships, not the government. Do you think Wave Skimmer would want to attend the conclave?”

  Mickey’s question produced a deep laugh, a smile, and some fairy dust.

  “He’d probably love a dip in one of Earth’s oceans,” Alex replied.

  “What about the alliance?” Mickey inquired.

  “I’ve already discussed this with Jess, Lucia, and Alain,” Alex said, frowning.

  “What?” Mickey asked. “They don’t think they can motivate the council to attend?”

  “It’s the consortium,” Renée replied. “The trio believes the consortium, which represents the fiercest part of the Resistance, won’t want to be excluded from the conclave.”

  “If we have too many attendees, it could get unwieldy,” Alex commented, which had Mickey laughing.

  “Oh, great leader, you thought you’d have simplicity? What happened to your diplomatic talents?” Mickey asked, pointing an accusing finger.

  Alex offered his friend a wry smile and a shrug. “I didn’t say I’d become adept at it,” he replied.

  “I’ve a solution for that predicament,” Julien offered. “Every world’s contingent must be accompanied by one or more SADEs.”

  “That’s elegant,” Renée declared, and she leaned across the grass and kissed Julien on the cheek. “Even if the SADEs have private conversations with their principals, they can relay sentiments and moods.”

  “A SADE per principal or per contingent?” Alex inquired.

  “That would be your choice,” Julien replied. “However, I suggest you, as you would say, play it by ear.”

  “So, Alex, why am I here?” Mickey asked.

  “I need a huge favor, Mickey,” Alex said.

  “More like a monumental favor,” Renée murmured.

  “Renée is right,” Alex conceded. “I don’t want you to put anyone in danger. Okay, no more than usual.”

  Mickey held up a hand to halt Alex. “You need my teams to discover how to install new domes and activate gates,” he said.

  “That’s what I need,” Alex replied. He gazed at Mickey, while he gathered his thoughts. “I need a major incentive for the conclave. Sol and the colonies have our existing tech, and the alliance is receiving much of it. Freighters can ply the space between worlds, but it’s the gates that will allow individuals to visit worlds immediately and maintain relationships. I think that’s the key to keeping the peace.”

  “How long do I have?” Mickey inquired.

  “Take all the time
you need, Mickey. Just as long as you’ve cracked the secret by the time I’ll have returned to Sol. That will be in about an Omnian annual,” Alex replied, and he gave Mickey an easy smile.

  Mickey launched the installation teams three cycles later. As Kasie and the SADEs had anticipated, the first installation of a new gate pair was anticlimactic.

  Luther signaled the other teams, and within the next two cycles, the consortium had their new gates.

  Immediately, the leaders dispatched envoy teams to the outpost to plan the assisting of the developing races, as Jess had requested.

  Alain was contacted continually by other races with requests for new gates, and Krokticka and her staff were kept busy logging the races and the connections. Despite Alain’s busy days, Tatia and he did manage many conversations. She asked him if he would be at Sol next year, and he assured her he’d see her there.

  The installation teams returned to Triton via the domes. When the Tridents rejoined the fleet, recalls were issued. Farewells were exchanged over the course of the next two cycles, and then Hector’s fleet sailed for Sol.

  Alex’s hopes for the future of many worlds were about to be put to the test.

  — The Silver Ships series continues in Conclave. —

  Glossary

  Crocians

  Bortoth of the Logar – Engineer on Pimbor

  Daktora of the Logar – Engineer on Pimbor

  Gorsatha of the Hagar – Senior project engineer for the Crocians on the outpost

  Mangoth – Early dome explorer with Envoy Harbour

  Dischnya – Sentient species in Omnian system

  Hessan – Squad leader

  Homsaff – Queen, assault commander

  Neffess – Lieutenant, Omnian pilot, heir to Nyslara and Pussiro

  Nyslara – Queen, mate to Pussiro, matriarch of Neffess

  Pussiro – Ex-wasat, mate to Nyslara, patriarch of Neffess

  Simlan – Squad leader

  Earthers

  Lenson – Earther console operator at Triton

  Hyronzy (her-on-zee) – Burly alien race hosting the Tsargit

  Fistonia (fis-tōn-ia) – Hyronzy Station director

  Jatouche – Pyreans’ closest allies

  Jastitock – Emissary, mate of Tockitak

  Josstitot – Jatouche medical supervisor

  Krokticka – Senior staffer to Alain de Long

  Matnok – Jatouche medical tech

  Tacnock (tac-nock) – Veteran fighter, friend of Jess Cinders

  Tacticnok (tack-tick-nock) – Daughter of His Excellency Rictook, first female ruler of Na-Tikkook

  Tockitak (tock-i-tack) – Present female ruler, mate of Jastitock

  Lemgarts – Checkered past with the alliance

  Fystal jer Hathwa – Transport company owner

  Myseth mya Jaknas – Lemgart tailor

  Loopah – Simian race, inventors of the gas-projectile launcher of the same name

  Méridiens – Humans of the Confederation

  Mistrallian (miss-trawl-ian) – Alien aboard Jatouche medical stations

  Zimgell – Mistrallian research director at Pyrean medical station

  Norsitchians – Alien race, dome overtaken by the Colony

  Jarmonin (jar-mon-in) – Tsargit lead councilor

  Menous (men-ous) – Commander of the brassards

  Nemanous (nē-man-ous) – Minister of Planetary Defense

  Ollassa – Sentient alien lifeform resembling a symbiotic collection of plant parts

  Omnians/Outpost – Humans/SADEs

  Alain de Long – Senior captain, becomes outpost envoy, partner of Tatia Tachenko

  Alex Racine – Omnian co-leader, partner of Renée de Guirnon

  Candace “Candy” Weller – Lieutenant, outpost security

  Cordelia – SADE, rear admiral, captain of the Freedom, partner of Julien

  Edmas – Senior engineer, partner of Jodlyne

  Hector – SADE, fleet admiral, captain of the Our People

  Hermione – SADE maintaining Ude’s medical avatar

  Jackie Olmand – First mate of Transit Tripper

  Jodlyne – Senior engineer, partner of Edmas

  Julien – SADE leader, Alex’s close friend, partner of Cordelia

  Juliette – SADE

  Kara Walton – Captain of Transit Tripper

  Laestra – Méridien crew member aboard Transit Tripper

  Lucia Bellardo – Outpost admiral, partner to Jess Cinders

  Luther – SADE, Mickey Brandon’s assistant

  Lydia – SADE, advisor to Hector

  Mickey Brandon – Chief engineer for Alex Racine, partner of Pia Sabine

  Minimalist – SADE

  Miranda – SADE, partner of Z

  Miriam – SADE, Mickey Brandon’s assistant

  Nalia – SADE in the outpost medical suite

  Nata – Lieutenant, pilot, human clone

  Paulette – Engineer aboard Transit Tripper, twin to Pauline

  Pauline – Engineer aboard Transit Tripper, twin to Paulette

  Petra Havard – Lieutenant, pilot, partner of Ude

  Pia Sabine – Outpost chief medical officer, partner of Mickey Brandon

  Rebecca “Becca” Audrey – Lieutenant aboard Alain de Long’s Trident

  Renée de Guirnon – Omnian co-leader, partner of Alex Racine

  Sam Fleetfoot – Outpost security major

  Tatia Tachenko – Fleet admiral, partner of Alain de Long

  Ude – Leader of clone band, repaired at Jatouche station

  Z – SADE, partner of Miranda

  Packeoes (pack-ē-ōs) – Federacy aliens

  Pims or Pimborians – Small burrowing aliens

  Pyreans – Humans in alliance territory

  Aputi Tulafono (too-la-fōnō) – Assault commander

  Aurelia Garmenti – Early explorer, partner of Devon, empath

  Devon Higgins – Early explorer, partner of Aurelia

  Harbour – First explorer, partner of Jessie Cinders, leader of Resistance, envoy, empath leader

  Jess Cinders – Outpost One: Resistance commander, fraternal twin of Kasie

  Jessie Cinders – First explorer, partner of Harbour, leader

  Kasie Cinders – Fraternal twin of Jess, empath

  Lillian Finian – President

  Ophelia Tuttle – Security commandant, pro tempore president

  Paul Lindstrom – Security major

  Qualls – Intellectual race destroyed by the Colony

  Restosians – Short, scaled aliens operating on Lemgart home world

  Darter – Lieutenant Weller’s contact

  Sylians – Cat-like sentient race

  Sastisona – Assault commander

  Sonistoma (sō-ni-stō-ma) – Tsargit representative

  Talsoma (tall-so-ma) – Monarch

  Swei Swee – Sentient alien lifeform inhabiting the oceans of several worlds

  Wave Skimmer – First (leader) of the hive

  Usaanans – Sentient race known as sand serpents

  Uggert – Senior leader of the prisoners

  Umlass – Tsargit representative

  Usslert – Usaanan working with Lemgarts

  Veklocks – Elder alliance race, triumvirate of bird-like aliens

  Other Items

  Dorgatha (dōr-gatha) – Monstrous reptiles of the Crocian wetlands

  Hoorat Town – Seedy side of Lemgart capital

  Messinants – Ancient race, dome creators

  Norloth – Crocian Supreme Council

  Omnia Ships – Business owned by Alex Racine and others

  SADE – Self-aware digital entity, artificial intelligence being

  Torque – Lemgart’s avant-garde club

  Tsargit – Alliance ruling body

  Wasat – Dischnya warrior commander

  Planets, Colonies, Moons, and Stars

  Confederation – Collection of Méridien worlds

  Crimsa – Star of Pyre

  Fe
deracy – Races previously ruled by Artifice

  Méridien – Primary world of the Confederation

  Na-Tikkook – Jatouche home world

  New Terra – New Terrans’ home world

  Norsitchia – Norsitchians’ home world

  Omnia – World settled by the Dischnya, Swei Swee, SADEs, and humans

  Packeo – Packeoes’ home world

  Pimbor – Pimborians’ home world

  Pyre – Pyreans’ home world

  Quall – Home world of race lost to Colony, now occupied by Packeoes

  Rissness – Jatouche moon

  Sol – Earth’s star

  Sylia – Sylians’ home world

  Talus – Talusian system located in the federacy

  Toral – Talusian home world located in the federacy

  Usaana – Sand serpents home world

  Ships and Stations

  Carriers – Sol-built troop transports employed by the alliance outpost

  Hyronzy Station – Tsargit convenes here

  New Terra – Derelict Earth colony ship

  Outpost One: Resistance – Station operating for defense of alliance space

  RES Chesterfield – Outpost carrier under Sastisona

  RES Drake – Outpost carrier under Homsaff

  Rêveur – Alex Racine’s passenger liner

  Sardi-Tallen Orbital Platform – Omnia orbital station

  Transit Tripper – New Terran class four freighter

  Travelers – Beam-armed shuttles and fighters

  Trident – Omnian tri-hulled, beam-armed warship

  My Books

  Elvians is the twenty-third novel in the interwoven series of The Silver Ships and Pyreans, which tell the stories of Earth colonists and the spread of humankind throughout a galaxy filled with alien races.

  The novel is available in e-book, softcover, and audiobook versions. Please visit my website, http://scottjucha.com, for publication dates and purchase locations. You may register at my website to receive e-mail updates on the progress of my upcoming novels.