Carinae Sector: 01 - Traders' Scourge - Part 2 - Maveen Offer (24 page)

Steve looked around at the other humans as he spoke in reply.

‘Captain Narindestat, this is the limit of our science mission team that now has official status with myself as the leader of the mission. We are required to both study and negotiate with you and report our recommendations back to our leaders.’

The Trader captain seemed to give off a sense of relief as he spoke again.

‘Now this is indeed good news, so then please follow me as I have something I need to show you and your mission team.’

The humans and several Traders followed Captain Narindestat over to the damaged sneak ships as the captain spoke again.

‘These two sneak ships are important for our efforts to leave your planet, and unfortunately we cannot repair them as they were too badly damaged in the battle. The one struck by your kinetic weapon is not even useful for parts. We planned on destroying them as well as any cargo we decided to also leave behind. However, we would prefer to use the ships and cargo as trade goods rather than having to destroy them.’

The humans exchanged a variety of looks between each other, with both a Russian scientist and an American scientist doing little to hide their avarice for the technology. Dan also noted their indifference to the plight of the Traders. Steve for his part duly registered the variety of responses amongst the mission team as he replied.

‘So Captain, if you leave behind these items then you should still be able to leave our world?’

Captain Narindestat lent against a large rectangular crate, this one from his own cargo hold. He resented what he had to say, but he answered.

‘Yes Steve we should have just enough thrust reserves to barely clear the planet. Now with these other items we have here, the item under my arm is a portable fusion generator that can be adapted to power shields or weapons.’

Narindestat was relieved at the quiet buzz that erupted from the humans at the disclosure. The humans did have a proclivity for being distracted that needed to be worked on he decided. He did notice that one of the new humans at the rear of the group quietly studied him and did not join in conversation with the other humans.

‘A being to consider carefully…’

Captain Narindestat evaluated quietly to himself before moving onto other items scattered around the two damaged ships.

‘The other items here include three types of defensive shields, while the longer items are four types of laser blaster and pulse cannon weapons. We are stripping out parts of our ships to aid in our launch attempt.’

This was another lie, but the Trader captain felt safe, as Halbindestat had earlier verified that the older designs of the weapons and shields were still both sturdy and reliable. The captain knew that the assorted equipment was well suited for a variety of craft the humans might build. The chief engineer was also perplexed that he could not find any manufacturing details amongst the guns, indeed the construction methods used were not like that of any vassal race.

Captain Narindestat had quietly brought Halbindestat around to the rationale of getting away alive, and to not overly worry himself about the unknown source of the laser and pulse weapons. At this point one of the mission team asked a question of the Trader captain.

‘So how do we prove that all this technology is working captain?’

Captain Narindestat looked over the humans with a smile as he replied.

‘Well we are going to have to power those weapons and shields with a portable fusion generator to prove to you that it all works. So I expect that we will be busy for the next few days. By all means take as much recordings and notes as you can in that time.’

Steve looked over the buzz of enthusiasm that again became evident from the mission team members. He then acknowledged the quiet look he received in return from an Indian scientist standing by himself behind the other team members. Captain Narindestat continued over to another series of large boxes and gave a brief inventory again, before he led the mission team back to the awning and the welcome shade.

                                                            ***

The Maveen lead probe considered the knot of humans and Traders at the other end of the small island. The humans seemed interested in the array of technology and the lead probe was confident in the negotiation capabilities of the Trader captain. The Maveen were hoping to stay out of direct negotiations with the humans, as this could potentially save them from the wrath of the other galactic races at a later stage. The lead probe was also still concerned that the Traders would simply dump the Maveen ships onto this world and flee. Only the near certainty of the humans being destroyed in the resulting attack by the galactic vassal races was keeping them here the probe evaluated.

Of course the Traders could not and would not know of the Ancient queen and her daughters on the sea floor. That fact would surely panic them to take flight with disastrous consequences for all the other races left on the planet. The lead probe would let the Trader captain come to him, and he evaluated the probability as high that this would happen soon before the deals were completed. After that the lead probe would take the other probes back to the ancients with the requested items. The lead probe also was considering two requests from the other probes, most unusual requests asking the same thing, and the lead probe knew it would soon have to make a difficult decision.

                                                            ***

Steve and his mission team sat quietly as the Trader captain gave a brief overview of the galactic races and the state of galactic politics. First he started with the overlords of the Carinae sector, the Zronte and the various vassal races were described. He then mentioned the independents consisting of Traders and several other races. The Trader also briefly mentioned independent races towards the centre of the galaxy that were effectively restricted to their core worlds by the vassal races.

Captain Narindestat moved on to the state of galactic politics by outlining key edicts of the Zronte that could affect the humans at some stage. He discussed the possibility of conflict between the vassal races, and particularly his concerns of a limited war starting between the Cephrit and the Tilmud. Steve, with his military mind, asked an obvious question as the Trader captain paused for a moment.

‘Captain Narindestat, the edicts of these Zronte seems a double edged sword even for the vassals. Surely they would not let the Cephrit and the Tilmud fight and lay waste to a large part of the galaxy?’

The Trader captain regarded the human mission team furiously taking notes or recording the scene as he responded to the question.

‘Steve, the Tilmud are opportunists, for example as soon as our own home worlds were overrun they then moved in and made them their own. The Cephrit are mindful of this and the fact that that the Tilmud enjoy special status with the Zronte. This status is double edged because this also ensures they are only allowed to use frigate class star ships. If your race is going to have problems in the future it will be with the Tilmud or possibly the Jerecab. Your home world, even if it is a haven world, is close to the areas of expansion for both races.’

Captain Narindestat looked over at the mission team, and several more questions were asked along similar lines. Steve sat back quietly again and considered the implications of the briefing by the Trader. He anticipated that the evening phone call to Ian Ridge would be long into the night, as something the Trader captain said in answer to another question stuck in Steve’s mind. He now asked for the earlier answer to be repeated.

‘Sure Steve, I stated that your race should attempt to hold onto haven world status as long as possible, especially as the other vassal races now know of your world. The Barus commander was certainly correct with that piece of advice. The two real problems you have are that you are not united, and you still lack the technology to adequately defend yourselves.’

Steve considered again the damaged ships and stock pile of weapons his mission team had inspected earlier, as he replied with first an observation then a further question.

‘So you are saying the two damaged ships and the other items would both kick start our technical development, and offer limited protection for a time after we lose our haven world status. Surely the same would be even more so if we seized the main ship and kept your entire crew on our world?’

Captain Narindestat looked squarely at Steve as he replied.

‘You would not be permitted to take our main ship intact, even if you could defeat the crew. Also neither the Barus nor Maveen would let you get away with that attack. Indeed the Maveen would argue that destroying our ship would prevent your species being exterminated in a later galactic attack. The galactic races would surely attack as the Illuria is a powerful modern ship. They would not like to see her, or her advanced technology, in the hands of a relatively new and unknown galactic race.’

Steve settled back and once again locked eyes with Professor Sanjay Chandransigar, the Indian astrophysicist he had seen earlier as they inspected the two damaged sneak ships. So he was not the only one who decided that a lot of this seemed too pat for his liking. Even as he considered this point further Dan then asked a question.

‘Captain Narindestat, you mentioned the fact we are not united is a big problem in the eyes of the galactic races. Yet you mentioned that not all the vassal races are united. Can you please explain this further?’

Captain Narindestat gave both Steve and Sanjay a quick look as he responded to Dan’s question.

‘Well Dan, the Zronte edicts apply to a whole race and nations such as yours are not recognised as having any authority under these edicts. I would politely suggest that either your species becomes united or a single and central agency be established for all your space activities. The Jerecab race I mentioned earlier is a special case. The Blue Jerecab traditionalists are planet bound academics and priests, and the Red Jerecab progressives are a mercenary and space trader society. They get around the edicts by the Blue Jerecab disavowing any and all actions by the Red Jerecab. Also from a political standpoint the Blue Jerecab are devout acolytes of the Deltas Vass, so they enjoy a significant amount of religious and political protection.’

The briefing soon stopped for lunch, and Steve made a point of quietly speaking with Sanjay as they strode a little way away from the tent. Both men looked at the two damaged sneak ships, and the equipment stockpile, before speculating if these items would be enough in a suddenly more hostile universe.

                                                            ***

The Maveen lead probe quietly activated thrusters and rose several meters into the air, before slowly moving across the island to halt behind two human males looking over the two damaged sneak ships. The quiet hiss of thrusters alerted one of the men, and he spun around suddenly to regard the gloss black hull of the Maveen lead probe looming over them.

‘Uh Steve, I think we are about to find out more about the Maveen.’

The second larger human turned quickly and now quietly regarded the probe. Steve was not too alarmed by the Maveen, but he was surprised on how something larger than a patrol boat could move so effortlessly and silently right up behind them. The blue vision strip of the lead probe took in the two humans, as the rest of the mission team silently streamed out of the marquee trailed by Captain Narindestat. The captain looked at the lead probe in a mixture of confusion and contempt, and he had the presence of mind to address it in English.

‘So you finally show yourselves after a few days and now you make your presence felt without being asked.’

The vision strip on the lead probe swivelled to regard the Trader captain as it replied.

‘No doubt the humans are aware of the significance of the two damaged sneak ships and now we can get agreements in place to leave this world. We should then leave as soon as we are able to conclude the agreements and implement our plans.’

Captain Narindestat stifled a burst of outrage as he replied.

‘I am doing the best I can in this situation and we also have to still repair and refuel our ship. Now to facilitate an understanding I have given them a brief overview of galactic politics. So unless you have something profound to add I politely suggest that you withdraw and I will speak to you later.’

The lead probe gave no sign of irritation at being addressed in such a short fashion as it spoke again.

‘You will have only agreed to trade the lower powered weapons and shields and this is acceptable. If you were forced to leave your main guns behind we would destroy them to prevent the humans accessing their power and technology.’

The Trader captain looked annoyed at the probe and was obviously trying for a polite response. Steve took the opportunity to address the lead probe directly.

‘So you are a Maveen? Or is the ship carrying several of you?’

The lead probe looked at Steve and replied.

‘I am the smallest single entity or a lightly armed survey probe that is an individual Maveen. We have smaller probes but they are remote controlled sub probes we use for engineering and supply purposes. We also have a range of larger probes for specialised operations like warfare, mining and manufacturing. Our biggest ships are several times the size of the Trader ship and well armed.’

Steve did a double take at that information and Dan voiced the obvious question.

‘So if a handful of small survey probes can disable a US fleet, what can a Maveen given over to war do?’

Captain Narindestat looked at Dan and Steve as he dryly replied, for he also wanted to move things along.

‘I hope they never come to your part of the galaxy for you to find out. Now lead probe I will need some assistance getting the trade items operational to demonstrate to the humans. Can you please supply sub-probes to assist us?’

The lead probe readily agreed to this request, and in moments four Maveen sub-probes had appeared and hovered over to the weapons stockpile.