Koban 6: Conflict and Empire (53 page)

“Huwayla, in one of our discussions, explained that she, and her sister ships sensed mass deaths multiple times per day, from remote locations in the Universe. At low energy tachyon speeds, the waves arrive instantly, although she didn’t explain how she knew they came from far away.

“In her case, not being responsible for what happened, she did not feel emotionally effected and experienced no guilt. That wasn’t the case for the two PU solar systems she was duped into wrecking. She believed these daily unknown examples were in distant galaxies, caused by various disasters such as supernovae or other natural causes, as well as the possible result of some far off war. They’ll have plenty of examples to measure.”

“Damn.” It was Ethan this time. “I wonder if we’ll become the protectors they hoped the Krall would be? I’m not sure, based on how decent they were to the other developing and peaceful species they met, if we’re not too rough around the edges for them.”

Maggi asked, “If not us, then who? Not the Thandol or Ragnar, although we’ve never met the Finth or Thack Delos. If the Thandol found those two species useful to them, to help them rule their empire, I doubt either one is half as pleasant as we are in a fight, and we can be pretty damn nasty. Just ask the Thandol at Wendal, Meglor, or Rogue 2, and the Ragnar at Paradise and Tanner’s World. They won’t find more capable guardians, and nice doesn’t win wars.”

“If they want our help, how can we protect the Olt’kitapi, hidden as they are in Empire territory?”

“We can’t,” she admitted. “Although, if I can convince them to flee the Empire, to return to their old worlds in Federation Space, we’ll have a chance to help them recover some what they lost. I’d like to find out how much of their technology they can regain from those old mind enhancers. I’d love to see that Dyson Swarm they wanted to build.”

Mirikami added his thoughts. “I’d like it if we could give the Olt’kitapi another chance at greatness. That sentiment is largely altruistic on our part as a group, I think, but there’s a smattering of a self-serving motive on my part. It could reflect well on wild-child humanity, when we meet other ancient and advanced species in the Milky Way.”

Tet and Maggi’s Scout was above Canji Mot. “Chief Counselor Semal, this small ship proved itself to be undetectable by the Thandol traffic monitors in Level 2 or 3 travel, both at Wendal itself, and at a secret military planet called Rogue 2.”

Mirikami was trying to reassure the Hothor leader that the ship’s movements in their solar system could not be detected.

“Had they been able to see five of these ships arriving, unannounced at either location, where we know they are watching intently for intruders, there would have been an extremely hostile reception waiting for us. There is no risk that they can detect us here, where they have devoted few resources.” They had just departed Canji Mot, planning to travel to nearby Canji Dol, the second habitable planet orbiting their home star, to meet with the Olt’kitapi.

As evidence that he believed Mirikami’s assurance, the Hothor leader’s next words accepted his claim without need of further explanation, and then abruptly shifted to a purely cultural matter. “Your ship’s design represents a leap in technology compared to the Thandol. However, your mode of addressing us could use some improvement. I’m not offended, but you have engaged in name usage that is confusing to us, such as when you addressed me as Chief Counselor Semal. It should be Chief Counselor Firl. My full name is Firl Jaf Semal, with Semal being my father’s personal name, and Jaf is that of my mother, and Firl is my own given name.

“When you greeted my Third Minister Yida, by radio, you always use Hanbi in addressing him, which is his father’s name. His full name is Yida Gof Hanbi. Do you see the error you are making?”

“Yes, I do. I apologize, but my mate is the diplomat of our pairing, and also the linguist. She is presently helping our AI to integrate the Hothor language database, which Third Minister
Yida
provided for our use. It is in a similar format to the Thandol language database, which our AI has mastered.

“The new translation process should simplify and improve our communications soon, when we start to communicate with you in your own language. Our AI is assimilating the data now, and incorporating your rules for grammar and social customs, as Yida explains them.”

In the meantime, Mirikami heard his words in Standard being repeated in the trumpeting and bugling pidgin version of the Thandol language, which the Hothor’s own translation system was now converting into their own spoken language. It was cumbersome and too slow.

Mirikami commented on the hazards of that method. “It is awkward, and poor politics to be forced to converse with you in the demeaning Thandol subservient species dialect, which they insist you use with them. However, that has been the only common tongue we had available for communication with you. There are certain to be unavoidable errors in translation from our language, to Thandol, to your language, and back to us again.”

Firl’s round shaped head was shaking back and forth on his long hairy neck, a sign of negation in a human, but for the sloth-like Hothor, it actually indicated agreement. “Yes. I was sure you would welcome such a minor correction, Captain Tetsuo,” Firl said, making exactly the same name use error in reverse as he spoke to his host, Captain Mirikami.

Maggi, monitoring the conversation by Comtap while she worked with an AI on the translation software, told her husband with amusement, “The AI that’s running the current translation, using a Thandol database, will switch to the new system shortly. With the Hothor database and rules in place, when a Hothor’s full name, or at least their personal first name is known, it will apply the correct name in translated conversations. It will also correct Firl’s own mistake just now, when our rules are applied to their speech conventions. We need our communications to be as accurate as possible, since improper translations can provoke misunderstandings, which might escalate a discussion or negotiation into hostilities. Please don’t correct him right now,
Captain Tetsuo
.” She sent him an image of a grin and a wink.

Moving to another subject, Mirikami thanked the First Counselor for his contribution to Maggi’s conspiracy project, to make the Emperor and his closest associates physically miserable, and convinced that a coup was being planned.

“The parasite eggs you provided to us will ensure the Emperor will be staying home for most of the next orbit, in quarantine. So will the first sets of visiting nobles that might share his prized browsing plots, who will carry some of the hatching parasites home with them in their gut, and spread the infestation. With the Emperor as patient zero, the source of every other infection will be traced back to him. Not a flattering portrayal of his personal hygiene.”

Unspoken were the details of how the Hothor, within only a few hours of Maggi’s inquiry, managed to provide the parasite eggs in four small sealed containers. She’d only asked where the parasites could be found, should the Federation wish to infect the Emperor, or other Thandol. They obviously had them on hand, despite emphatically stating that they were not native to any of their three inhabited worlds. Clearly, they were prepared for minor biological warfare; and they possibly possessed more dangerous bioweapons, which they didn’t admit to possessing.

When Maggi accepted them, she voiced her concern that using the parasites on the Emperor might cause the Thandol to suspect the Hothor, or some other species of spreading them. She didn’t want to provoke some form of retaliatory killing of innocents.

“Ambassador Fisher, we are not at risk,” he reassured her. Suddenly, it was obvious from that reply that the AI was using the new language database, since for the first time the translation software inserted her last name after her title in Standard, on behalf of the oblivious Hothor. She and Firl no longer heard the noisy Thandol speech used as the intermediate language. Her Comtap fed Standard to her mind, translated directly from the spoken words of the First Counselor. Her words to him became the hissing sibilants, and occasional rasping glottal clicks of the Hothor language, issuing from the fob around her neck.

The sudden absence of the annoying intermediary trumpeting of Thandol speech spared both of them the ringing in their ears, of a language neither of them had the capability to speak, or in the case of a Hothor, could not fully hear with their more limited range of sound reception. A Kobani, with wolfbat hearing supplementing their human sense, could hear every sound a Thandol could utter.

Firl’s small dark eyes, set in a black skinned face, widened suddenly in the Hothor expression of pleasure, as a simple unspoken acknowledgement of the smoother and faster communications. He explained to her why there was no risk of any subservient species being blamed, if the Imperial Court developed the symptoms of this intestinal disease. That might not be true in other settings, outside of the palace grounds.

“Only Thandol are allowed above the ground floor inside the Imperial compound, on pain of death from Debilitater beams if discovered. Alien servants have never seen the royal rooftop browsing plots, except possibly from orbit.”

Maggi addressed all four of the Hothor, now that the translation software was streamlining their conversations. “First Counselor, Ministers, we have detailed images of the Emperor’s upper chambers and gardens within the palace compound, and have seen the grow plots for his favored grass. We can land almost silently on a roof, and reach them by foot, or by rooftop leaps, staying clear of places where there might be sensors that could detect non Thandol footpads. Our body armor has the same stealth system as this ship.”

Firth had seen the pictures. “Your mate shared those images with us. We may never find them of practical use, but they will join our ever growing compilation of information the Thandol do not want us to possess.”

Mirikami complemented him, “An excellent idea. Information often finds unexpected use. For example, the information your kitchen worker on Wendal provided us, about the Emperor’s imminent speech to his subjects. That speech will be delivered to a gathering in the Great Square, to the side of the palace compound. That provides us with an earlier opportunity to distribute these eggs than if we had to wait for the celebration of his assuming the throne. According to past protocol, the Emperor and his court sycophants, and most of the palace guard, will accompany him there, leaving his personal quarters less well observed and lightly staffed.”

The shorter First Counselor looked up at Mirikami intently, as he commented. “I wonder if you people from the Federation created this opportunity for yourselves. Grifta Thop Raula, the Kitchen Assistant who you urged the Olt’kitapi to present with one of your communication devices, relayed to us what he told you. The Emperor is going to speak to the people of Wendal about the terrible natural disaster the planet suffered yesterday, just before you arrived here. An unanticipated atmospheric expansion, or bulge, caused three pieces of massive space debris to fall out of orbit. The three impacts along the equator caused considerable damage in their industrial heartland, and killed several wealthy noble Thandol that controlled those industries.” His dark eyes widened again.

He’s pleased, believing we caused it to happen,
Mirikami thought.

Firl didn’t ask that directly, but he fished when he offered another observation. “This sort of accident sounds improbable, because the Thandol normally plan for every factor that could lead to such a risk.” He watched Mirikami and Fisher for any reaction, but humans were alien to him, and he wasn’t certain if he’d recognize a sign of complicity or guilt if he saw it in their expressions. The only oddity to him was the rather immobile stone faces they maintained as he told them. They were normally very talkative and expressive.

“Yes,” Maggi agreed, casually, “it’s odd they made such a miscalculation. However, we should take advantage of the chance to distribute these eggs within his residence. Having this infection happen to the Emperor, right after that disaster, could cause him considerable personal embarrassment and loss of stature, preventing him from making more public appearances, or performing State visits to shore up his political support. This is a happy coincidence indeed.”

Mirikami interrupted with an announcement. “We’ve just arrived at orbital height, directly above the Olt’kitapi compound, where we were instructed to land.”

That surprised the four Hothor, because they were unaware the smooth and quiet spacecraft had even executed a Jump from Canji Mot. After that, Mirikami seemed to have a brief Comtap discussion with someone on the ground, then the small ship did one more thing they were unaware it could do, something it did not do on arrival to Canji Mot. It micro Jumped and emerged underneath the artificial canopy, which camouflaged the entire region occupied by the large insects. To be precise, it rotated into Normal Space, replacing the pocket of atmosphere with a pop, hovering about the length of the ship above the floor of a large clearing, where they’d met with the Olt’kitapi previously. The Scout then settled gently on its Normal Space drive.

As the six visitors made their exit from the Scout, two Olt’kitapi, a bright purple colored builder form and a dull green and tan maker form, approached them from a structure built between the tall natural trees.

Mirikami and Maggi assumed they were Prola and her mate, Frithda, whom they met with previously. However, the species was so new to them they had not yet picked up on the different details which could uniquely identify individuals. Previously, the other Olt’kitapi had not approached them closely, and were seen only at a moderate distance. This time there were others of them moving closer, in their jerky insect leg movements, and sporting various colors. The females all had brighter colors, sporting shades of purple, blue, orange and pale reds. The drabber males displayed shades of duller greens, tans, browns, and some had mottled black markings or splotches. The heights of the insects varied, with maker forms of either gender being taller, and builder forms shorter in length, holding more of their torso horizontal as they moved.

They had learned about the colors from the Hothor on the previous visit, but it was surprising that the brighter colors always stayed with the female gender, but the body style did not, since some of them were maker forms, and others had builder forms, and there were forms that were blends of the pure body style of each type. Yet, the bright or drab gender defining colors did not blend or mix, permitting easy detection of which sex you were seeing.

The Olt’kitapi were also present in the trees and on the side of many of their structures, which Mirikami noted had large openings for entry or exit far above ground level, and no steps. It didn’t appear they held any fear of being so far up, as they used many small niches and protrusions clearly built into the walls for footholds, as they casually walked up or down the sides of fairly tall buildings.

He commented to his wife, using Comtap rather than speaking aloud, a joint decision they had made earlier. “I can understand their predilection for building the huge soaring structurers that the Dismantlers shared with us in old stored images. No fear of heights. They once had the power of flight when their bodies were smaller and more primitive. I remember seeing Prola ruffle her vestigial wings on our first visit.”

Maggi nodded, “I see some of their liking for geometric forms in their angular structures. The Torki, who can move their eye stalks one at a time, say their own minds are influenced by how they perceive the world, able to see matters with two perspectives at once, and can use their claws and manipulators ambidextrously, with each eye stalk guiding their simultaneous but independent actions.