Ancient Birthright (9 page)

“Were you able to assemble such a machine language dictionary?” Feuua asked.

“No Sir. The little information in the only signal you would permit me to analyze did not contain machine language commands, thus I was unable to build the dictionary.”

“In other words you wasted an entire thirty-cycle of research time without achieving the results you’d claimed were possible. The same thing you claim this entire team is doing.”

“In the strictest definition of my stated purpose of compiling a machine language dictionary, you are correct.”

“Oh, and in the not so strict definition of your efforts, did you accomplish anything of value?”

“I hope so.”

“Please tell Command Prime Garuu of your accomplishments,” Feuua said with an evil grin.

“My first accomplishment was to confirm the signals we’re receiving are coming from the third planet of the star system, our home planet, Treterra.” The room erupted in shouts of disbelief.

As things began to quiet. “My second accomplishment was to establish two-way communications with Treterra.” The uproar this time was deafening.

Command Prime Garuu held up his hand for silence.

Saigg continued, “I have been exchanging information with my contact, a soul named Beldon, for the past several weeks. I have learned how to decrypt many of the data transmissions we’ve recorded and have started a small but growing dictionary of descriptive terms. I will need the assistance of many of the more experienced team-members to understand the written language. At this time, I can send simple picture messages to Beldon, and he can interpret them and send return answers in the same form.” Saigg watched the assembled souls settle into stunned disbelief and total silence following his report.

Walking to the head of the table, Saigg indicated the wall mounted VH display. “I have prepared a number of VH screens to demonstrate the sequence of my interactions.”

Saigg activated the first series of screens and walked the assembled scientists through his findings. He described how he had established two-way communications. By the end of his presentation, the most senior of scientists were demanding his attention and asking for clarification of his presented facts and assumptions.

Feuua rapped his fist for silence. “Saigg Garuu, you want us to believe that you have made this astounding progress in only thirty-cycle’s time? On top of that, you did all of this without informing anyone on the team of your discoveries. I must tell you I find this hard to believe. I think your past speaks for itself. You are trying to cause this team the same kind of trouble you caused your parents at transjump.”

“Sir, you made it very clear that I was to work alone and shoulder the success or failure of my efforts by myself. Not once in the thirty-cycle since you assigned me the task of analyzing the unknown signal have you or any member of the team checked on my work or requested a progress report. You made it very clear that today was to be the day I had to present my findings.”

Saigg watched Team Leader Feuua slant his eyes toward Command Prime Garuu as if trying to gauge his reaction to the proceedings.

“Saigg Garuu, I find your report totally without merit or substance and hereby request Prime Garuu remove you from my team for dereliction of duty and falsifying a report.”

Command Prime Garuu paused for only a moment, “Your request is granted. Saigg Garuu you will no longer report to Team Leader Domm Feuua.”

Feuua’s coloration transformed to the soft-green of satisfied pleasure.

Saigg looked at his father but didn’t open his mouth to voice an opinion. Prime Garuu nodded his head in an almost imperceptive gesture in Saigg’s direction acknowledging his restraint.

Feuua’s feral smile was short lived.

“Saigg Garuu, at the conclusion of this meeting you will take charge of the reorganized research effort to expand communications with Treterra. You will assume the rank and title of Team Leader and coordinate the renewed efforts of those you choose to join your team. Team Leader Domm Feuua, you have demonstrated a complete lack of innovative leadership abilities. My staff noted the presentation of copied reports after the second submission. Your total absence of progress and unwillingness to consider possible alternative ideas may have doomed the success of this mission. I just hope Team Leader Saigg Garuu and the souls he chooses to help him can overcome the problems you have caused. Team Leader Feuua, you may close the meeting.”

Thank you, father, for showing me how you lead with dignity and understanding. I’ll try to make you proud of me. Now it’s time to see if I can really walk in your toe prints.

Saigg raised his voice and spoke over the din, “All section leaders please remain. Since we are all together, we might as well get started. Those section leaders who feel they have more important duties to attend to, please have your first assistant stay.”

When the room cleared of all but Saigg, three section leaders and four assistants, Saigg said, “Please take a seat and let’s get started.”

The small group looked back and forth, doubt and uncertainty coloring their faces as they waited for Saigg to begin.

“First I wanted to state that everything I reported in the previous meeting is true and can be verified. We do have limited two-way communications with Treterra. I believe it is essential we work as a team to solve our language problem. We need new ideas to stimulate our research. The single working theory held by past team leader Feuua may have merit, but it alone will not produce the results we need.”

The youngest of the four assistants nodded agreement while the three section leaders still had the gray-blue color of doubt displayed.

What do I have to say to get these souls on my side? I need their help.

“Once a seven cycle we will come together to discuss progress, propose new directions of study, and generate a combined progress report to present to Command Prime. I want to thank all of you section leaders for staying and accepting the change in team leadership. I know my age and lack of formal training puts me at a disadvantage, and if I were to try to lead any one of your sections, I would most likely fail. I’ve learned from my father to assign the best to a task and let them do the job.”

That did it. At least they’re listening to what I’m saying and not worrying about being replaced.

“The life of every soul on this ship depends on our success. We must develop open and honest communications with the souls living on Treterra. We need their help if any of our species, either on the Universe Explores or on Danuaa 3 are to survive.

“I believe Command Prime Garuu placed me in the position of Research Team Leader as a way of forcing all of us to reexamine our methods and to recognize there may be new, or at least different, ways to attack a problem. Are there any questions?”

The oldest section lead cleared his throat, “Team Leader Garuu, can you give us your reasons for changing our research methods?”

“There are several reasons. Some, I haven’t been given permission to share with you just yet. However, I suspect, and I think you will agree once you review the transmissions, that the current primary species on our home planet is not one of ours.”

“That puts our communication problem in a whole new light,” the elder section lead said.

“Team Leader Garuu, four of us are section assistants. We don’t have the authority to alter our sections work,” the youngest female luzzon linguist stated for the four.

“Here is a question for you. Are you here because your section leader truly had more important business or did they not attend because they believe Domm Feuua’s methods were correct?” countered Saigg.

Three indicated they were there because their superiors were close friends with Feuua and the current section leads did not intend to change their methods. The fourth told him that his section leader had wanted to verify Saigg’s findings and get the section working on integrating the new information into their efforts.

At least that gives me some idea to the amount of resistance I will need to overcome.

“You three in the sections locked into the old ways are promoted to replace the current section leads. Keeping the new direction in mind, select the team members you want in your groups.” Saigg turned to the fourth assistant, “How do you feel about not being promoted to section leader?”

“I’m very happy working for section leader Paaya and hold him in high regard. I feel Section Leader Paaya’s decision to verify your finding and redirect the sections efforts, was the correct one,” the young team assistant responded.

I hope I can generate that kind of loyalty in time.

“Thank you all for staying. I feel, with your help, we can make real progress and begin a meaningful dialogue with the inhabitants of Treterra. We’ll meet again in a seven cycle and in the meantime if you have any questions, please give me a call or come see me. I’ll be around to your work areas as soon as I can schedule a visit. I want to meet your teams and get to know as much as I can about your specialties.”

The assembled team members rose to leave.

I hope Dad knows what he’s doing. Either this team is going to succeed, or my future as a member of the crew is going out the airlock.

Chapter-11

The bell rang for the end of the second period. Beldon waited outside the door of his English class as the other students rushed out to get to their next class. The one student he needed to talk to still hadn’t appeared. He took a chance and glanced back into the room. She was talking to the English teacher, Mrs. Winslow, and didn’t look like she planned to end the conversation anytime soon. If she didn’t come out in the next thirty seconds, he was going to have to run to make it to history on time.

Finally, Cindy Merrimen walked from the room. Beldon stepped up beside her and asked, “Cindy would you have some time to talk to me today, either at free period or after school? I have a project I’m working on, and I need help to figure out how to get my point across.”

“I don’t know if I want to be seen talking to you. I heard Billy and Danny teamed up and are after you. I don’t want them singling me out as a friend of yours.”

Beldon had quit worrying about Billy and Danny. Over the past year and a half, he’d grown almost six inches and started putting on muscle. Billy was still the bully of the school, but he’d added close to a hundred pounds to his already substantial girth and unless you let him corner you, even a freshman could get away from him.

Danny had moved up to starting quarterback on the varsity football team, but unless he was running with his football buddies, he avoided Beldon, who was now taller and more muscular than he was.

Beldon fixed his eyes self-consciously on the floor. “We don’t have to be friends. I just want to ask you some questions about English,” he said as he shifted the books he carried at his hip to in front of him.

Laughing, Cindy told him, “I was just kidding about Billy and Danny. Their reign of terror in this school has about run its course. I heard the principal telling Danny that if he gets one more complaint about him from a student or parent, he’s off the team and looking at suspension. Why don’t I meet you in the library during free period, and we can talk about your project. That way, if we need more time, we can meet again after school.”

“Great, I’ll meet you at two-fifteen in the library,” Beldon said as he increased his speed to get to American history before the bell rang.

#

At two-fifteen, Beldon had a remote table staked out. When Cindy walked in, he opened his English book and pretended to study.

Cindy took the chair next to him and looked at him expectantly. “Before we start, I wanted to ask, did you end up renting the locker apartment you were looking at the first time we talked?”

Damn, she remembers that incident. I’m not sure if that’s good or bad.

Beldon stared down at his hands. “Nah, the view wasn’t that great and it was a little small for my tastes.”

“I figured it might be.”

Beldon took a deep breath. “I have this friend… What I mean is I’ve been trying to communicate with a person who doesn’t speak English. We’ve been drawing pictures and sending them back and forth trying to connect our two languages. We’ve established some basic information. I’ve been sending him the names of objects, but I can’t figure out how to fill in the rest of the English language...the verbs, adverbs, adjectives, and pronouns. I was hoping you could help me design some simple pictures or ways to communicate how they’re used.”

“Why don’t you meet with him face to face and then you can show him what you mean. At least that would work for action verbs,” Cindy said as she put her hand on his forearm.

Bel’s breathing quickened, “He doesn’t...live in the area. The only way I can communicate with him is using my computer, through text or pictures, and that’s even slow. It can take hours to get a response from his remote location.”

“What language does he speak? There must be some common words that would help connect the two languages.”

With a slight shake of his head, “I don’t think that’s the case. He only speaks his own remote tribal dialect.”

“Then how does he have a computer and know how to use it? You’re not making any sense,” Cindy said as her forehead wrinkled.

Beldon pushed back his chair so he could face her. “Okay, let’s look at this hypothetically. Let’s say you meet someone from say...outer space...and need to try to communicate. Your languages don’t have a common origin, and you’re not even the same species. How could the two of you develop an understanding of each other’s languages and communicate?”

“Call in the Starship Enterprise and use the universal translator,” Cindy said with an impish smile tickling her mouth.

Beldon turned back and stared at the table, “If only I could,” he mumbled under his breath.

Turning to her again, “I’m serious. I know computers and how to program them, but teaching English is beyond me, and I need help.”

“This problem sounds a little more complex than I thought it would be. Maybe we should meet after school, and you can show me how far you’ve gotten and how you communicate. I’ll get in touch with my Mom and let her know I’ll be home late.”