Koban (36 page)

“Then do that and not waste my time,” he ordered.

“Sir, I need to have you show us where on the planet the compound
is located. This will let us search for the buildings, and we can use our telescopes
and radar to find exactly where it is. When we know that, we can calculate our own
coordinates for landing. However, your orders were that we are not permitted to
send out any radio signals or you will kill one in eight of our people. Radar is
a kind of radio signal.”

The signal part was a valid issue, but Mirikami had been stalling
a bit because he wanted to make sure they completed one full orbit, to give Jake
a chance to see the planet in more detail.

“Telour will point for me. He has been with humans many times.
I do not fly there myself.”

Oh, so that was the true root of the sore point, Mirikami realized.
Parkoda had to admit that he didn’t know exactly where the compound was located,
and needed his underling to help.

Telour strode swiftly to the main view screen; in that graceful
motion bowed legs implied were impossible. “Make picture big here,” he demanded,
back to using pidgin Standard. He pointed to a place they were now passing, but
at mid-latitudes in what Jake had said was the northern hemisphere.

Noreen obliged, zooming the image where he had pointed.

“This not where compound is, but as we go around we see it pass
here.” Mirikami had to admit, Telour was putting on a good show for Parkoda, pretending
he couldn’t speak Standard better than his temporary boss could.

They continued along their orbit, and another coastline appeared
at the eastern edge of the continent they were passing over.

“The land we look for is after the ocean passes,” Telour told
them.

“Parkoda, do we have your permission to use our radar and laser
altitude sensors to look for Koban Prime when we are close? The Clanship will know
we are transmitting, I think.” He didn’t believe the following Clanship would fire
on them with the raid leader aboard, but there were other Krall warships and raiders
in orbit with them.

“I will tell Clanship, and they will tell other clans.” He tapped
his com, and started talking. Mirikami wondered what range that little unit had.
It wasn’t just a short-range device, since the left small view screen showed that
the Clanship was several thousand miles in trail. Another Krall technological advantage
he thought, in a thin package only two inches across.

They waited several minutes, as the deep blue of the ocean started
to pass below them.

“You can use ship for scans,” Parkoda told them, “but no radio
signal sent away from here.”

“Thank you. I’ll tell my crew to switch on the radar and laser
altimeter systems.”

He picked up his rarely used small handset, and dialed a code
that actually connected him with the AI. “Switch on all of our active ship scanners,
but keep them directed at the planet. The specific area to search will be indicated
shortly on the main screen by Telour, when he will point to the general location
of Koban Prime, our landing area. We are looking for an enclosed compound, with
a domed building inside. When we have a possible identification, I will ask that
it be placed on the main screen for verification.”

Jake acknowledged only by transducer with “Yes Sir.”

A second coastline soon appeared, proving this sea wasn’t very
wide either. Telour stood close to the screen waiting. There was a small coastal
plain, then a low mountain range. Beyond that was a tan area that yielded to light
green then the deeper blue green of forest or jungle they had previously seen on
the other landmasses.

Telour touched the screen in an area where the tan, light green
and darker blue green colors converged, near what appeared to be a river. “Look
closer to this place.”

Mirikami had the handset still in his hand when the image zoomed
in to the indicated area. Noreen had not done that, and he had not told Jake to
do it, but obviously Jake used the video feed of the Bridge let him see where Telour
had pointed. Neither Krall appeared to notice, but he didn’t want that to happen
again.

“Fine, now just follow my instructions for the image zoom, to
find what we are looking for. If the radar detects anything like buildings or walls
let me know.”

He heard via the transducer, “Radar detects a circular thirty
foot high wall near that spot, with a large building at the center. The wall ring
is fifty two miles in diameter; the central building is circular and over three
thousand feet in diameter, and at least five hundred feet high at the center.”

Into the handset, “Zoom the main screen in on that radar target
please.”

The image flashed in to show a ring like structure with a squashed
dome at the center, seen at a low angle from the southwest. The angle slowly shifted
as they watched.

Parkoda wasn’t certain. “Other clan compounds look the same.”

Telour was sure. “A small river on one side, there is very dry
land on south side; small mountains, grass, and jungle on north are all inside the
wall. This is where we test humans, with many kind of places to hide. There are
dead human ships near the dome. This is what the humans name Koban Prime. It was
once home of a small clan.”

As the image improved with closing distance, a gray circular
apron surrounded the dome, perhaps a mile wider than the structure. Even at this
distance at least a half dozen crumpled or burned ships were visible. Passing well
south they could see a Krall shuttle, identical to Parkoda’s, parked on the Dome’s
east side.

“Is that where we need to land?” Mirikami asked. “We need to
calculate the coordinates when we can still see the building.”

“That is Koban Prime,” affirmed Telour. “How soon can you land?”

Parkoda interrupted, “That is for my command, not yours translator!”

“I did not give your captive an order Parkoda; I asked only how
soon he can land.” He sounded irritated, and apparently slipped and used better
Standard than he had been displaying since Parkoda had arrived.

“Turn us to land now!” Parkoda ordered the Captain.

Shit! Mirikami thought. He wants us to land right now, to show
he commands and not Telour. I’ll be caught in their pissing contest unless I’m careful.

“I am having the coordinates calculated now, Sir.” Speaking to
the handset, he asked, “Do you have the landing coordinates?” Of course Jake did.

“Yes Sir,” the AI confirmed. “They are on the main screen at
bottom right, and in the Navcomp as well.”

Still pretending to listen on the handset, “Perfect. Feed those
numbers into the computer, and adjust our orbit
immediately
for the landing
at Koban Prime on the next pass.”

All of that was said primarily for effect, except the part about
changing their orbit immediately. The orbit change could have come later, but he
wanted to demonstrate some sort of positive response to satisfy Parkoda’s order.

Fortunately, everyone below was on his or her acceleration couches
until touchdown. Except for the Krall of course, who never seemed concerned about
such things, and probably counted on their strength and reactions to adjust to any
forces the weak little humans could tolerate.

The ship rotated about ten degrees and the main thrusters did
a short burn, to adjust their track to pass directly over Koban Prime on the next
orbit.

Turning to Parkoda, Mirikami stated, “Following your order Sir,
we are shifting to land at Koban Prime as we complete this final orbit. We should
be landing in…” he looked at the countdown Jake had placed in the bottom right of
the main screen, “sixty three minutes of the human clock.” He pointed at the display,
figuring that Parkoda probably wouldn’t understand it, but the changing seconds
were visible.

“Good,” was his only response.

Noreen then made a ship wide broadcast, and placed the countdown
on every monitor on the ship. Everyone below had been watching the image of the
planet on nearby monitors since well before they had entered orbit.

The Stewards had worked out the order of evacuation and the routes
to the cargo hold. The passengers knew whom they were to follow. The first ones
to get up would use only the central lifts, at least until the last of the Krall
had departed the ship. Those people would gather in the area at the bottom of the
lifts, outside the hatches into the cargo hold bay, waiting for Parkoda’s shuttle
to leave.

The cargo Hauler drivers would be in their machines, also waiting
for the shuttle to leave and the ramp to finish extending to the tarmac. They would
have the dubious ‘honor’ of reaching the surface of Koban before the others. They
had also been given a secondary job to do, before hauling away the engine parts.
It was passenger escort duty, with smooth pallets tied on their front lifting forks,
to carry tired or injured people or equipment. Mister Walters had talked with each
man and explained what the Captain wanted them to do.

The engine dismantling would start almost as soon as the ship
settled on its six landing jacks. Nevertheless, nothing large would be falling out
the bottom of the ship for the first twenty minutes or so, just bits and pieces
such as nuts, bolts, connectors, and strut pieces.

The final orbit gave them the hoped for bonus of gathering more
information on the planet. Jake was scanning and recording the view of as much of
the planet as he could, using the radar and laser ranging systems, and external
camera feeds. Again, this was of no practical use at the moment, but good to have.

With about thirty minutes to go, both Parkoda and Telour apparently
received nearly simultaneous com calls. Telour was still standing close to the main
screen and off to the right side. They saw his internal ears extend and he tapped
the com button. His glance back at Parkoda caused Mirikami to turn his head that
way as well. Parkoda too was receiving a com call.

The two human’s curiosity was short lived. Parkoda gave them
the news. “I am called to meet with clan leaders at different compound. When we
land, open door to let out my shuttle. I will fly there instead of to Clanship.

“The Clanship lands with us to watch and be sure you not start
engines again. The warriors here will go there. If you disobey they will kill this
ship.”

“I understand.” Mirikami answered. “My clan mates will leave
the ship as fast as they can to go to the dome, but there are many of us, and it
will take much time. You caught a large prize Parkoda.” Another ego stroke couldn’t
hurt.

A glance towards Telour revealed the normal red-pitted glare
from black orbs that they had grown accustomed to seeing from every Krall. No clue
as to his feelings, either satisfaction or anger. However, a slight ripple of the
lips almost resembled an imitation of a human smile. Never having seen one on a
Krall, Mirikami couldn’t be sure.

Telour suddenly stood upright, extended his left hand towards
Parkoda, talons extended in one of their salutes. He started towards the stairwell,
but turned his eyes on the two humans as he passed. “I will see you in training
soon.”

Next, he flashed over the railing and silently down the stairs.
Mirikami wondered, don’t they
ever
go down them by the opening, or at a
leisurely
pace?

Parkoda had his own comment. “You must anger Telour. If he
will see you in training you will be fighting him. It will not be swift.” He tossed
his head and snorted.

These guys were a regular laugh riot, he thought.

“Is Telour also leaving the ship when we land?” Mirikami inquired.
He was seeking confirmation that things were on track.

“Yes. I send him to take our machines to my shuttle, and tell
warriors and translators wait there for me. He is also called to meeting of clans.
He will see me get status, and does not like this.” He had another snort, promptly
followed by bragging.

“My clan demands I lead a raid to human worlds. I proved able
to bring back many humans for testing. We can be ready for war soon and on the Great
Path.” He stiffened briefly, clearly pleased and proud of himself.

Mirikami asked Noreen to bring up the closest telescopic image
they had taken of Koban Prime on the previous orbit. He wanted to look again at
the landing apron.

The image showed three destroyed ships close together on the
south side of the dome and three others clustered one quarter the way around to
the west. The Krall shuttle was closer to the dome than the human ships, alone on
the east side. The south entry showed a wide dark shadowed area under the dome roof,
but he could not see what was in the recess.

He had a question, “Parkoda, how many entrances are there to
the dome?”

His answer was prompt. “Domes are all made same. One hand of
large entry places, and many hands of small doors.”

That meant four large entryways, and probably many smaller personnel
sized doors. The human ships were clustered near the large openings, with the Krall
shuttle at one by itself.

“Is there only one door where humans are allowed to enter, or
will any door be open for us?”

“The large openings have a hand of small doors, and a hand of
big doors to go inside. In the big doors we drive our machines to carry warriors,
and to keep from the eyes of flying things that bite.”

That sounded like covered garage entrances with four big and
four small doors inside them, with overhead protection from things that bite! However,
he hadn’t really answered his question.

“Parkoda, can my clan mates get inside the dome from any of those
large openings, or must they use only one?”

“Any of them, they are all the same.”

“Noreen, three of those entrances has disabled ships blocking
us from landing very close to the dome. One is on the south side, closest to us
in this picture, and I see a deep shadow of the recess. The other two appear to
be east and west side openings, but we can’t see the north side in this image. Show
me the first shot we had when Telour pointed it out and we zoomed from farther away.”