Space Trader (Galactic Axia Adventure) (17 page)

“Here goes nothing,” Ian said as he hit the power switch. The screen brightened to life as the Red-tail nav module powered up.

“Looks like a star map,” Lyyle said from where he was watching.

“We’re getting a clean feed here,” Sony reported from beside the recording equipment. “The interface isn’t having any trouble deciphering the data stream.”

“And it matches what I’ve seen with other Red-tail records,” Ian added.

“Is it compatible with your equipment?” Lyyle asked.

“I could work it out but that would take more time,” Ian replied. “If Sony’s recording gets it all, then I’ll try to adapt it from that. No need to risk corrupting my Nav system way out here.”

“But I thought you liked it here on Vogel.” Sony teased from his station.

Sony glanced over at Ian. Something was different about the man from the stars. His attitude had changed over the last several days and he wasn’t as elusive as he’d been when he’d first stumbled across their planet. Then it hit him. He knew what was different. This was the first time he’d seen the man without his weapons.

Ian felt Sony’s eyes on him. He turned to the technician and saw the man staring at him instead of paying attention to his work.

“You got a problem?” Ian asked.

Sony shook his head but didn’t say anything.

“Then why are you staring at me instead of paying attention to your bench?”

Lyyle heard the interaction between the two men and stopped what he was doing. This was no time to get into a personal conflict, not when they were this close to exposing the Red-tail equipment.

“Is there a problem?” Lyyle asked.

Sony shook his head again, still not speaking. Ian stood still, ready to respond should the need arise.

“It’s just this is the first time I’ve ever seen you without your weapons,” Sony stammered, pointing at Ian’s belt.

Ian placed his hand on his right hip then realized the pistol he always wore was missing. He felt for this shoulder holster and it was also missing. He was unarmed on an alien planet. They’d become such a part of him that he didn’t realize he’d forgotten them when he left his quarters that morning.

Lyyle repeated his question. “Is there a problem?”

The look in Sony’s eyes told Ian that his suspicions were groundless. These people were not a threat, which is probably why he’d neglected to arm himself this morning.

“No problem,” Ian said. He looked across the room at Sony who stood nervously by his bench. “Let’s get back to work.”

∞∞∞

Three hours passed before the interface was completed between the Red-tail equipment and the jury-rigged recording device. It only took a few seconds once the connection was made before it stopped and shut down.

“That’s it,” Ian announced, cutting power to the device.

“Copy complete,” Sony reported. He stopped the recorder. “No signs of corruption,” he added as he pulled out the recording cube.

“Then let’s get it over to the main processing center,” Lyyle said. “I want to see what we managed to catch.”

An hour later found the three men seated along with Cap in the main viewing room at the processing center. The lights dimmed and a projector in the center of the room came to life. Surrounding them in the dark were strange stars and symbols in hues of red and orange.

“This is the star map we first found in the Red-tail Nav module,” Lyyle said.

“Sure looks different in three dimensions,” Sony commented.

“Since we weren’t sure of the spatial orientation, I had visual superimpose our regional star map onto it and adjusted it for scale and matching patterns. The result was this,” Lyyle said.

There immediately appeared blue/green pinpoints next to red ones. Even to the untrained eye, it was easy to discern the similarity. “The circled star is our own sun. And if you look close, you can see Vogel.”

“Can you reduce the scale?” Ian asked. “I want to get a better feel for it.”

Lyyle adjusted the controls. The spacing between the stars shrank as the immense size of the map became more apparent. They could also denote that the Red-tail map and the one produced on Vogel extended in different directions with only about half of it overlapping.

“As an added feature, I incorporated the maps you provided to us,” Lyyle said to Ian.

A third set of pinpoints superimposed over the other two maps, but this time in yellow. Wherever they matched the Red-tail or Vogel maps, the stars appeared multicolored.

“I wonder what those symbols mean?” Sony wondered aloud.

Ian stared at them for a couple of seconds, then stood up and followed by Sony, studied the projection more closely.

“Look here and here,” Ian said, pointing at where his map and the Red-tail map overlapped without the Vogel map. “I know these particular star systems hold Axia bases. Notice the pairing of symbols. Now look at these,” he said, pointing to several with different symbols. “These are star systems with uninhabited planets. And those with the squiggle symbol are populated planets without Axia installations.”

“What are those red halo fields?” Lyyle asked, pointing to the area Ian was talking about.

“Those must denote where the Red-tails consider the Axia has influence,” Ian replied. “I also suspect that the dotted red lines are common trade routes the Axia and independent planets use. I’ve flown some of those myself. You’ll also notice that the symbols denoting Axia facilities are strategically placed along them.”

“Looks like the Red-tails have the Axia pretty well mapped out,” Sony observed.

“I’m not terribly surprised,” Ian answered. “What’s got me wondering is the other symbols. Notice the one next to Vogel. It’s the same one that is next to known black holes and other hazards in this sector.”

“I see that Vogel isn’t lit in red by the Red-tail map,” Lyyle stated. “I guess the Optiveil is working.”

“Yes, they’ve got you marked as a hazard to their ships,” Ian agreed.

“What are these marks all about?” Sony asked as he pointed to small circles with bars next to them on the Red-tail map.

“Can you enlarge this section?” Ian asked, indicating a red/yellow overlap with a pair of those particular symbols.

“Sure,” Lyyle replied. “Let me know when it’s big enough.” He adjusted the controls.

Slowly, the map grew on the area Ian had indicated. The rest of the map faded out to make room for the enlargement. In short order, more planets appeared with the strange Red-tail symbols beside them. Ian motioned for Lyyle to stop and then studied them in obvious puzzlement for a couple of minutes. Suddenly his face brightened.

“I think I have a connection,” he said.

He moved closer to one area of the map. “Notice this planet,” he said, indicating one noted in red/yellow with the strange Red-tail symbol by it.

“About a year ago, a trooper survey team discovered a Red-tail base hidden on it,” he continued. “And over here was another one,” he added, pointing at another planet marked the same way in another star system.

“Do the other planets so marked on your map have the same symbols?” Lyyle asked. Ian nodded.

“Magnify our map again,” Sony said.

As the projected field shifted, he pointed to a section of red/blue a short distance from Vogel.

“These planets had been attacked by Red-tails when we last heard from them a couple of generations ago. Notice this one here,” he said, indicating an orb on the map. “I know that it was laid waste in the battles. It now has their symbol for uninhabited.”

“What about these planets here?” Ian asked, indicating a string of four planets.

“Some of those were sacked by the Red-tails and left devastated,” Sony answered after a moment. Ian moved over and looked at one planet off by itself.

“This one has a symbol that we think indicates a possible Red-tail base,” Ian observed evenly. Sony came over and looked at it.

“Lyyle,” he said, “enhance the planetary and star names.” Lyyle adjusted the necessary controls. Immediately, names appeared next to the stars on the Vogel map. Under the planet in question appeared the name Waukee.

“Haven’t heard anything about them in ages,” Sony responded. “I guess this would mean they have a Red-tail base on the surface.”

“Give me the Axia map again,” Ian requested. The projected field shifted and was soon almost all yellow/red. Ian walked among the pinpoints hanging in space as he studied them. The other two men watched while Ian mentally checked off the ones showing Red-tail bases. Even Sony and Lyyle could see the pattern that was starting to develop.

“I assume that each of those Red-tail incursions has been discovered?” Lyyle asked from the console where he had been controlling the projector.

“Yes,” replied Ian absently.

He continued to study different stars where the Red-tail and Axia maps overlapped.

“Except for this one,” he added as he pointed at one Axia planet off away from the others. They all noticed that it had not only the symbol indicating a Red-tail base, but that it had another symbol that Sony recognized as also being next to Waukee. Under the Axia planet was the name—Owosso.

Chapter Fifteen

Piaffè was confused. His little ship floated motionless in space while he pondered what to do next. The readout of the last set of instructions from the Horicon was still displayed on his communications equipment.

After sending the squirt message to the hidden Horicon, Piaffè had considered his mission completed. According to both the original message from the Horicon and his instructions from the Elders, his work out here in space was finished. Having seen the Red-tail ships as they emerged from the transit tube reinforced Piaffè’s respect for the dangers here in space. He was more than ready to head home. He was anxious to cast his gaze once again on the home worlds of the Jibbah.

Then he unexpectedly received a new signal from the Horicon, and that presented Piaffè with a frightful dilemma. The mysterious Horicon wanted Piaffè to set a new course deeper into the area of planets occupied by these new bipedal creatures.

The young Piaffè first thought the Horicon wanted him to follow the red ships that had just emerged from the transit tube. But after studying the course coordinates more carefully, he found that over time his course and that of the frightful red creatures would slowly diverge. The Jibbah pilot had been greatly relieved.

That’s when Piaffè’s curiosity kicked in. Now torn between caution and his native lust for knowledge, Piaffè struggled over what to do. He briefly considered contacting the Horicon again for clarification. Then he remembered that in an earlier transmission, the Horicon admonished him to keep communications between them discreet and to a minimum. So here Piaffè sat.

Piaffè was startled by the activation of his communications equipment as it suddenly came to life. Glancing at the readout, Piaffè relaxed when he saw that it was from the mysterious Horicon. Activating the receiver, Piaffè downloaded another burst transmission. As before, it was on the old carrier, but came from yet another vector in space.

It took only moments for the equipment to digest the incoming signal and display its content. Piaffè eagerly read the new information, hoping that his dilemma would be solved and his new course of action set.

But Piaffè was soon disappointed. Rather than clarify his mission, the new instructions confused it. The Horicon wanted Piaffè to assume the new course and report back immediately. As to what he was to do while traveling the now-apparent meandering route, Piaffè hadn’t a clue. Simply put, he was to observe. What he was to observe and how were not specified, which further confused the young Jibbah pilot.

Resigning himself to follow orders from this ancient friend, Piaffè adjusted his equipment. He engaged the drive of his small ship and was soon off on this new course. As requested, he sent a reply via burst transmission. Now all he had to do was wait and hope that he was carrying out his new mission according to the dictates of the mysterious Horicon.

∞∞∞

Lyyle pounded on the hull beside the hatch. To his frustration, the intercom beside the lock appeared to be in the off position. Earlier attempts to contact Ian through the field control center had also failed.

Again he pounded. This time he thought he heard some sort of noise from inside the
Cahill Express.
To his relief the green “on” light lit up on the intercom panel.

“Wha... izit?” a sleepy voice muttered through the speaker.

“Ian, let me in!” Lyyle replied hastily. “It’s Lyyle.”

“Jussamin...” came the slurred reply.

A few seconds later the hatch slid open and Lyyle entered the ship. Opening the inner hatch, he stepped into the main cabin of the
Express
just as Ian, in a rumpled jumpsuit, shuffled out of his cabin.

Without asking, Lyyle headed toward the small galley to make his friend a cup of coffee while Ian stared at him bleary-eyed. Before Lyyle could do anything, the automatic system Ian had rigged for such mornings beat him to it. The hot water system (that would work in zero gravity as well) started perking and a dispenser under the upper cupboard neatly dropped a tea bag into Ian’s favorite cup on the counter. Although he had seen it before, the whole process still fascinated Lyyle.

“Why the rush?” Ian asked sullenly from beside him. Looking at his friend, Lyyle was struck by the haggard look of the trader.

“We just got a report from long-range scanners that what appears to be a Red-tail scout is headed this way,” Lyyle said excitedly.

Big deal!
thought Ian.

“So do you want me to come watch you pick off another one, or are you going to let this one burn up?” In spite of his appearance, there were indications in his voice that he was coming to life.

“Neither!” Lyyle replied with obvious zeal. “This one will pass by us but looks to be heading into what you call the unknown zone.”

“What’s this got to do with me?” Ian asked.

Just then, the automatic tea system signaled that it was ready. A relay clicked and steaming hot water poured through a stainless steel tube system into Ian’s cup. It stopped automatically and Ian instinctively picked it up.