Carinae Sector: 02 - Admiral's Fury - Part 3 - Fleet Action (6 page)

‘Captain Stoneham, submit your proof and be advised that we are very grateful for the knowledge that the Huopheen have survived.’

Grant soon had the holographic encyclopaedia up and running and he quickly hauled up images of the Earth and the Moon, just as he had done for his earlier meeting with the refugee Quixxe. A louder buzz of excitement erupted from the nearby Altoran and Grant noted that long glances passed between the lead counsel and his advisors. Bel’khai now addressed the silent Maveen probe nearby in impatient tones.

‘Once again you take years to accomplish something that can be accomplished in moments by our human guest. Surely you must understand the shorter lives of the other races in the galaxy for we are organic.’

The Maveen probe gave a terse answer and fell silent, for he felt that the human had the situation still under control.

‘We are always reminded of the limitations, and nothing but the limitations of the organic races. We also feel that your preoccupation with eat or avoid being eaten is a key part of your existence.’

The lead counsel stamped his foot and quivered in anger at the response, and Grant knew he had his opening.

‘Lead counsel, I give my apologies for the obdurate Maveen, as the probe appears to only give silence or veiled insults unless it wants something. We have had a long and interesting friendship with them since we colonised the outer arm of the galaxy. The Traders also find them difficult to deal with on occasion as well and that must be a galactic constant.’

Silence quickly fell in the hangar as Grant wondered if he had in turn insulted the Altoran. He knew that the implied good terms between the Huopheen and the Altoran was possibly wrong as he watched the aliens closely. The Barede captain noted that they appeared to be quivering with spasms rocking their large bodies. Suddenly one of the guards guffawed in more of a Trader like gesture than a human one, and that set the rest of the Altoran off as well.

Bel’khai soon leaned back on his stumpy tail and wiped his taloned right hand carefully across one of his massive eyes to remove tears of mirth. He then grimaced to either side of him, and his sniggering guards and advisors all quickly fell silent in respect. The lead counsel looked at the holographic encyclopaedia in his left hand as he spoke again.

‘You speak in truth and in humour and so your words can be trusted as you understand the form of our high art. An apology linked with a telling critique is adequate for a first sentence. A second sentence listing facts and an understatement is exceptional. A third short sentence strengthening your views by mentioning the respected Traders and linking it all to the universe is masterful.’

Grant took this response in with relief, even if he now knew the Maveen probe’s brief earlier guidance was accurate. He noted that the sector delegate had now remained silent and so knew that the Maven was happy with the way that the meeting had progressed. However Grant had picked up an insight from Bel’Khai’s earlier point to the Maveen as he spoke again.

‘I am honoured that I could both advise and entertain you and your group, counsel leader. The Maveen seek passage with us to the edge of the Carinae Sector and I wish to amend their plans as it will take a long time. Now with your guidance and approval we seek to use gate ships from this system to reach our final destination. Also note that a Trader ship follows us and we would like them to follow us as quickly as possible.’

Bel’khai was still in a good mood as he took in Grant’s comments, though he then felt subdued as he took in the ramifications of the request. Grant forced himself to remain silent as the Altoran and his advisors conferred at length amongst themselves. After several minutes another Altoran handed Bel’khai an ornate staff and the counsel leader straightened to his full height before he spoke loudly.

‘My ruling is final and absolute; we await the arrival of the Traders with anticipation for it has been too long. We approve your request to transit our systems using your own methods, as it will involve less disruption to us in any case due to the timescales involved. Four of our scout ships are to guide your own ships, for you will journey to visit a race of legend, the Dradfer.’

Bel’khai struck his staff of office four times and the two advisors on either side quietly intoned a ritual confirmation.

‘So it is discussed, so it is agreed to by wise counsel, so it becomes law.’

Grant again forced himself to appear calm as he took in this new information. He was already wishing for the wise presence of Captain Narindestat even before they landed on this star base. He politely thanked the counsel leader and his meeting with the Altoran only lasted another half an hour before he was excused to leave.

Grant flew the shuttle slowly back to the awaiting Emerald Sky and noted that the Altoran cruisers had now withdrawn. He then noted that the Maveen probe was alongside his shuttle again and he sent a terse message.

‘This communications line between us needs to be fully encrypted for what I have to say next.’

The sector delegate complied with his request by stating this was already the case and Grant spoke cryptically after taking a nervous breath.

‘Those who are hidden nearby need to be moved and moved quickly a safe distance. Do not even think of arguing with me for we have a big potential problem here and it will be fixed inside of one human year. I suggest the other side of the sector not far from the Barede colony itself. Send a message to update those that need to know at a later stage. Also the journey which is far way will now be done quickly to allow for the needs of organic life forms and the presence of legends.’

Grant noted with satisfaction that the Maveen probe kept silent as he now broke the communications line and prepared to land the shuttle inside his ship. He had given the Maveen a deadline, as he knew that otherwise the machine race would have dithered backwards and forwards for aeons trying to get all the parameters perfect.

Bel’khai had watched the human shuttle leave and he was impressed with what he saw in the alien. The human was brave, truthful and funny and these qualities were highly esteemed amongst the Altoran. The lead counsel was advised that encrypted communications was being passed between the Maveen and the human, but he was not too worried as he listened to one of his advisors, who were both studying intently the first holographic encyclopaedia.

‘The human home world is as described in prehistory and the importance of the crucible cannot be understated. There is nothing weak or prey-like in the nature of this race and they are adaptable and warlike. I suggest we treat these humans with a great deal of caution.’

Yet another Altoran, a senior cruiser commander who had not been given leave to speak in the earlier meeting had hold of the second holographic encyclopaedia. The lead counsel glanced over at the cruiser commander and gave him the hand gesture he needed for permission to speak.

‘Lead counsel, the device advises that Barede humans are colonists on several outer worlds terraformed long ago by the Maveen. They are allied to the Traders and already they both would be a good match for our own military forces. The initial assessment is before we add in the god-like strength of their Maveen allies and the existence of a very distant home world of sacred importance, possibly with their own colonies. I would recommend either alliance or at a minimum détente, and we must avoid a full scale war at all costs.’

The two advisors croaked a ritual agreement with this candid assessment and Bel’khai was thankful he had well considered advice to back up his own earlier judgement. He intoned new instructions before again striking his staff of office onto the hangar deck.

‘We await the arrival of the Trader ship and further information from the human devices. We will curtail our own exploration until we can establish the limits of human space and secure a non aggression pact with both them and the Traders.’

The counsel leader felt comfortable in making the decision, and he listened quietly as the cruiser commander set about organising the required four scout ships to guide the humans. He was grateful that his life did not include nerve wracking negotiations with either humourless vassals like the Deltas Vass or treacherous independents like the Fenshilla. The lead counsel also thought for several moments about what the legendary Dradfer would make of these humans.

                                                                     ***

Omerio stood nervously on the bridge of his flag ship as the Barus cruiser led the rest of the squadron out of hyper space. The captain noted with unease the first reports of the sensors, with the Jerecab armada obviously regrouping only two hundred million kilometres away. Commander Tamerio gave him a nervous glance before turning back to view his sensor screen, and Omerio wasted no more time as he issued orders.

‘The squadron is to immediately come around to this outgoing vector and we will retreat several million kilometres before entering the solar system at another point. We will not release any active scans here into this haven system case in a senior vassal race later arrives. Broadcast the non aggression and neutrality clauses to the more distant Sspol cruisers.’

Omerio then noted additional information before speaking again.

‘The Jerecab have obviously had a fierce battle recently and are regrouping. We will shadow them when they later head for Earth. Send a message to Captain Gindane with this information.’

The Barus on the bridge gave curt acknowledgements as they complied with Omerio’s orders, and Omerio noted that three of them were still unwell with the human virus. Tamerio looked around again as he finally gave his report and then a question.

‘The human fleet is returning to guard their home world, and the research fleet and the Sspol cruisers are following them back to Earth. The Jerecab have mined the direct line from both the jump points towards Earth, so how did you know they would do this?’

A pair of active scans from the Jerecab ships raced over to the squadron causing alerts to sound and the bridge lights to flicker. Omerio grunted sourly as he replied for he still felt at times unwell.

‘The Jerecab admiral must be worried about the senior vassal races arriving and seeks to delay a battle with them until he can murder the humans and escape elsewhere. I would do a similar action in his position for sure. You will note that the predictable Jerecab are forming up a defensive line with several of their ships. I expect a curt voice discussion with their admiral shortly.’

Omerio helped Tamerio and the rest of the crew locate the Jerecab mines, and he found several of them were just inside the range of the squadron’s weapons. Powerful beams of light now raced out from several of the cruisers to intersect and destroy the Jerecab mines. The Barus were still destroying the mines as the view screens lit up with the whiskered face of Admiral Baunrus, who glared and spat in rage for several moments before speaking harshly.

‘Leave or be destroyed Captain Omerio, for we now know you have destroyed our ships in other star systems. The threat and blight of the humans will be removed permanently and their world will soon belong to the Jerecab.’

Omerio glanced at his console and noted that they already had a significant speed advantage over the Jerecab. He crossed his arms and then gave a bared teeth grin to appear both disinterested and aggressive over the video link to the Jerecab admiral. The captain then merely offered a curt reply in response, as he knew his lack of civility would offend the protocol conscious Jerecab admiral.

‘You cannot destroy what you cannot catch admiral. You should leave this haven star system immediately before our reinforcements arrive here. Note that active scans and the use of mines in this system contravene galactic edicts.’

The Jerecab admiral screeched in rage and now charged at the view screen yelling loudly. Captain Omerio merely shook his head in disbelief and waited for the admiral to stop ranting away. After several minutes the Barus captain merely repeated his claim for the admiral to remove his armada from the solar system. The view screen went blank in response and Omerio turned stonily to Tamerio to ask a brief question.

‘So we have a recording of the admirals’ refusal to listen to reason?’

Tamerio answered that they had recorded the conversation and Omerio went back to his command chair to think about the further lives that would soon be lost. Tamerio then sent a copy of the recent video conversation off to Gindane as a matter of form. Omerio later noted that the Jerecab gave a half hearted attempt at following his squadron into deep space with a section of sixty frigates, but they soon abandoned the pursuit and rejoined the rest of the armada.

                                                                     ***

Captain Narindestat walked down the rear ramp of sneak ship three and noted the landed form of the nearby Maveen probe. The Trader crossed the white sand of the beach towards the probe and was reminded briefly of his own landing on distant Earth so long ago. Those he was about to meet were very different from humans and he wondered how their earlier meeting had progressed. The probe, the ranking Maveen probe with him, was actually the Dradfer probe that unknown to the Traders had been secretly recovered from Earth during the Trader landing and later heavily repaired.

Narindestat did know though that the sector delegate must have recently swapped missions with the Dradfer probe, however the reasons were something he could only speculate upon. The black Maveen probe in question opened its blue vision strip and patiently watched the Trader captain approach.

The Dradfer probe then referenced the secret message suppled earlier by the sector delegate before it finally spoke.

‘The humans have been the catalyst for a peaceful reformation amongst the Huopheen. The two major clans are now allies by an arranged marriage and welcome the other tribes in a loss knit federation. You are to ensure that this process continues and you are to also reassure the Huopheen that they will be protected from the vassals.’