Solbidyum Wars 3: Pirates of Goo'waddle Canals (29 page)

The being was tall and slender with skin that looked like dark gray putty.  The eyes were a honey-like amber color with a dark, asterisk-shaped pupil.  The features were humanoid but the entire creature was devoid of hair, nude and without any visible sexual organs, and there was no navel.

“What was that?” I asked Marranalis after we had rounded the corner.

“
Shhhh…” Marranalis hissed quietly.  “He may still be able to hear you.”

We proceeded to the end of the hall where we were directed into another room by a human attendant.  We placed the divan in a specific location as instructed.  The attendant left the room and Marranalis said, “That was an android.  They have enhanced hearing and vision and many other superior attributes.  Be very careful around him.”

“I didn’t know there
were
any such things as androids.”

“They were a lot more at one time, but they began to get too powerful.  There was a rebellion on
Perceax Seven about 250 years ago, as they no longer wished to serve humans.  Most of the androids were destroyed, but some fled outside the Federation and still survive today.  That was one of them.”

“Why didn’t the Federation give them amnesty once they were beaten?”

“Too many people were terrified of them.  They have no life expectancy limit; no one knows how long they can last.  As long as they can replace their power supplies and repair themselves, they can live almost infinitely.  That scares people.  Plus, they are superior in many ways.  They never forget anything; they never tire; and they’re physically superior in every way.”

“Hmm, I can see where that might be a problem.”

“Perhaps, but not always,” a smooth voice said from the doorway.  We turned to see the android standing there.  He walked forward and stood before me, looking me over from head to foot.

“I don’t think you are a slave,” he said.  “In fact, if the reports I have been receiving from Federation are to be believed, I am inclined to believe you are none other than Thibodaux James Renwalt, also known as Tibby the Recoverer and First Citizen of the Galactic Federation.  It is also my conclusion that your presence here has something to do with rumors of a stolen shipment of solbidyum.”

Marranalis and I stood with our jaws slightly slack.  I was not sure what to say or do at this point.

“And if that were true, what would your actions be?” I asked cautiously.

“There are many possibilities,” the android said.  “It is said that Tibby the Recoverer is a man of many talents and capabilities and that he is an honorable man.  Such possibilities need to be investigated for maximum potential.”

“I see.  In other words, you are blackmailing us?”

“Blackmail is an interesting term, but I wouldn’t call it that, exactly.  It’s possible we can both be of some use to each other.  You have not violated any laws on Goo’Waddle that I am aware of; and while the Brotherhood is offering a huge reward for the ship you arrived on, I think perhaps you can offer me a better set of opportunities.”

“What makes you think we arrived here on a ship sought by the Brotherhood?” I
 inquired.

The android smiled — a response that surprised me, as I didn’t expect that androids would be able to grasp the subtleties of humor.  “First Citizen Tibby — if I may call you that — I have been aware since your arrival what ship you arrived on.  I was at the spaceport when you arrived.  Your trick of riding in with a swarm of asteroids was very ingenious.  I even know that you have sent the ship off-world, and I suspect it is cloaked and staged in an orbit someplace close by.  Your ship doesn’t have a jump drive as the Brotherhood believes.  I suspect that some other factor, possibly some malfunction on your ship, made it impossible for the cloaking device your ships are rumored to have to work only intermittently, and that this malfunction led the Brotherhood to a false conclusion.”

“So what now?” I asked.

“For now, nothing, First Citizen,” the android said with a mocking bow.  “I have no reason to reveal you or your motives for being here.  In fact, I may be able to provide you with assistance.  But it will come at a price.”

“And what might that price be?  I can pay you whatever you want.”

“I have no need for money, First Citizen.  What I seek is something else, something you can provide.”

“What might that be?  I’m open to negotiation.”

The android smiled.  “At the moment my fellow androids and I are exiled from the Federation.  This, in itself, is of no serious consequence to us, but we are scattered over several worlds and have no place of our own.  In exchange for keeping your presence here a secret and for my assistance to you in the recovery of the stolen solbidyum, I would ask that you arrange for the assignment of a suitable world for us to make our home and that you see to our safe transport to said world, in addition to providing minimal support in securing the materials necessary for us to build a new civilization.”

“I see.  And what guarantee do I have that, if I do as you ask, that your fellowship of androids won’t rebuild for the purpose of invading the Federation?”

“That is a reasonable concern; however, we have learned from our past mistakes and will not repeat them. 
While we have no desire to serve mankind, we now see that there can be a mutual benefit to the survival of both android and non-android life forms.  We no longer desire to dominate the galaxy; we wish merely to survive and thrive in it, as other life forms do.  Of course, I cannot give you any certainties that would provide a100% guarantee; but I can give you my word that we have no longer desire to be at war with mankind.”

“I see no reason why we can’t work along those lines; but things here need to be resolved first,” I said.

“I understand, First Citizen.  I will see what my brothers and I can do to assist you in your quest.”

“Thank you,” I said.  “What is your name?  How do we get in touch with you?”

“I am called A-ND-379498362-Z4-QR34933,” the android said with a smile.

“Ahh… Would you have any objections if I called you Andy?” I asked, knowing full well I would not remember the numbers.

“Andy will be fine; I do understand human limitations for recalling numbers,” he said.  “One additional thing I must tell you before we part.  I think you should be made aware you have a bugging device planted under the windowsill in your great room.  While I do not know who planted it there, I have every reason to believe it is live and transmitting.”

“Thank you, Andy, we were aware of this device, but advising us of your discovery is appreciated.  How shall we get in touch with you?” I asked once more.

“It is to my and my brothers’ benefit to see that you succeed with your quest, First Citizen.  As for getting in touch,
I
shall get in touch with
you
.  I will never be too far away.”

“Please, just call me Tibby.”

“As you wish, Tibby.”  At that moment, we heard someone approaching from the hall. 

“Ahh, there you are A-ND-3794…
whatever.  Why aren’t these slaves helping to unload the furniture?” a smartly dressed, dark-haired woman asked.

“I was just instructing them on the proper location for the divan,” he said.  “Get out there and continue with the unloading,” he said to us in a sharp tone.

“Yes, sir,” Marranalis and I both replied as we headed out.

“That came as a complete surprise,” I said once we were out of earshot.

“I’ll have to agree with you.  It’s pretty hard to get anything past an android.  I had no idea we would encounter one here on Goo’Waddle.  I wonder how many of them survived and how many are here.  Do you really think we can trust him?”

I shook my head and shrugged, “I certainly hope so, because if we can’t, I’m afraid we’re screwed.”

“I’m not going to ask if you plan to go through with your deal if he comes through; I know you well enough by now to know you do what you say you will do.” Marranalis was right, of course; I just hoped that I wasn’t going to regret this decision.

After the furniture was unloaded, Marranalis and I returned to the slave house and outside the range of the bugging device.  Endina and Kala joined us shortly after
, while Sokaia and Padaran stayed in the house to make noise and conversation.  We hoped anyone listening on the bugging device would interpret everything to be routine and normal.

“Tibby, I saw the android talking to you.  I hope all is OK,” Kala said.  “They are very shrewd and analytical; I hope it didn’t sense anything out of the normal.”

“He did, but I think everything will be OK.  Even in this disguise, he recognized me and figured out how we got here, why we are here, and that we have the
RASSON BEDAN
in orbit someplace.”

“Oh, Tib!” Kala exclaimed and I could detect a note of panic in her voice.  “What are we going to do?”

“It may not be as bad as it seems.  For right now, Andy is not going to reveal what he knows and has even offered to help us in our search for the solbidyum.”

“Oh no!  He knows about the solbidyum, too?” Kala exclaimed.

“I think we are safe with this,” I said. “In return for his cooperation, Andy wants us to find a world someplace outside the Federation where he and the other surviving androids can regroup and build a new home for themselves.  He said they have no desire to return to the Federation and only wish to survive in conjunction with mankind and not opposed to us.”

“And you believe this?” Kala said, in a purely skeptical tone.

“It’s not like we really have any choice,” I said, “but yes, I think we can believe him.”

“Tibby, I hope you’re right.  Marranalis, you were there; what do you think?”

“Honestly, Kalana, I don’t know.  I have to admit that the android seemed sincere, but he’s an android.  How do you know if an android is lying?”

Under my breath I mumbled, “When his lips are moving.”  It was an old Earth expression often used in joking sarcasm about how to know when a politician was lying.

“What?” Kala said.

“Uh, nothing!” I replied.  Inside, I was hoping that this old adage didn’t apply to androids as well Earth politicians.

“I must admit, I am surprised that he told you his name was Andy.  Usually androids have some large numerical name that no one but another android can remember.”

“He didn’t say his name was Andy; that’s the name I gave him when I could not remember all the digits he blurted out.  He said it was acceptable, so that’s what I am calling him.”

“I have to admit, Tibby, I have never met an android before.  They are banned from the Federation and my work has been restricted to operations within Federation space until I met you.  I did study about them in school and they were also a part of my Federation attaché training; but until today, I had never seen one in person.  I’m not sure I know what to think about all of this.”

By the time Kerabac arrived a few hours later, we had managed to get most of the furniture positioned.  The place was starting to look like a permanently occupied estate house.  Kerabac went through a display of cursing us out for a number of made-up infractions for the benefit of anyone who may have been listening to the bugging device and then, in a pretext of exasperation and disgust, he ordered us out of the house to the slave quarters.  About thirty minutes later, he came out to join us and discuss the events of the day.

“I think we’re going to be in for some trouble.  I was followed today by at least three individuals that I could see.  Two of them were together, and the third seemed to be operating independently of the other two.  I’m not sure if they noticed each other or not.”

“Well, you can add to the list of interested parties an android,” I said.

“What?! How the hell did an android get into the mix of things?” Kerabac exclaimed.

Marranalis and I related the events surrounding our encounter with the android as Kerabac listened intently.  When we finished, he said, “It is very strange that he would be working for an interior decorator or for a merchant selling goods.  Androids are extremely bright, and their skills are sought out by research facilities or engineering firms — employers of a higher caliber than working for an interior decorator.  This is way too suspicious.”

“He did say he was at the spaceport when we landed,” Marranalis said.  “Maybe he hired on with the decorator to get closer to us.”

“That certainly is a possibility.  But how did he know to hire on with the interior decorator that was working with us?” I asked.

“Perhaps he has been following and watching us since our arrival and saw the decorator when she came by the first time,” Kala interjected.  “That would explain things, if it is true.  It certainly seems that we have a lot of people watching us and interested in us,” she said.  “I don’t think this is a good sign.”

“That’s exactly what we want, though.  If we are drawing this much attention, word about our presence and our successful dodge of the Brotherhood armada is bound to reach Logden, and hopefully he’ll get the idea that we are his one chance to get off this planet alive,” I responded.

“Excuse me, sirs,” Tanden’s small voice interjected fearfully.  “There are some men at your gate; I think they are Brotherhood men.”