First Journeys Chapter 23

Chapter 23: Where are they?

“Hey Eric, are you asleep yet?”

I opened my eyes and looked at an Elly. “No I couldn’t really sleep. I was thinking about Ninio and Potsema and that human I still don’t know his name. You’re Deadan, right?”

“No I am Plemo, Deadan went to look for them and now he is gone for almost 40 minutes. The human’s name is Rodney Barack ”

“I guess I have slept after all. Aren’t the instructors concerned?”

“Both of them sleep as well and I didn’t want to alarm them and get the others in trouble if they just forgot the time.”

I got up. “We might as well see if we can find them. This Space port doesn’t look so big. How much time do you think we have?”

“About two hours.”

“I think we better make an effort, otherwise they do get in trouble.”

I could not put it in words but I had an odd feeling that the missing cadets weren’t late because they had a good time somewhere. I adjusted my weapon belt and checked the charge on the TKU and dialed the setting to four. Plemo made a sound like a balloon loosing air, but then checked his blaster as well.”You’re right, bad things happened already twice today.”

The Space port was well lit but quiet. The Yokuta did not have any space ships on their own and this facility had been used by their Nogoll masters. I was sure this would change soon and perhaps one of the business men was a representative of Arthur’s and one of these would soon open up. I wondered what the local Rib burger would smell like.

Plemo and I walked down the concourse, it was not like a Union Space port with lots of businesses, it had been a military installation and most of the doors had steel shutters before them, perhaps storage rooms or offices of some kind. We finally reached the end of the long corridor where the entrance doors were, outside was the road leading to the city in the distance. “Do you think they took a taxi or something and went back to town?” I asked Plemo.

He moved his ears and wrinkled his trunk. “I would not put it past Ninio, if he was determined to get music, but I would hope he was smarter than that. They had strict orders not to leave the port.Besides we should have run into Deadan by now. He certainly would not have done that.”

I heard a metallic noise and turned. It came from a metal door to the side that was not completely closed. A sign in Yokuta writing above it, the door kept moving and repeating the metallic sound, as if it was animated by a draft of wind. “Can you read that?”

Plemo squinted his eyes. “Only partially. I don’t know all Yokuta glyphs. It says something about Train, Wares, Connection, and if I read that right it says something about shop or shops below.”

“I bet that is what Ninio deciphered too, and that is where they went, unless they went the other direction from the lobby.”

“No I am sure they came this way. Besides the other corridor leads to the boarding gates and the landing field.” He then went straight for the door.

“Slow down Plemo. I don’t have a good feeling about that.”

“I think they took a train to town and found out it isn’t running back because of the festivities or something like that.”

It was a plausible hypothesis; still it would not explain Deadan not coming back. Unless these trains only ran in one direction or something like that or they simply got lost. My hand rested on the butt of the blaster as Plemo opened the door. “It’s just a flight of stairs leading reason to get nervous.” He said.

A cool breeze wafted from the open door, the walls were naked gray concrete and we could only see to the first landing. The light came from long tubular lamps on the ceiling, one of them flickered erratic and emitted an electric hum. I had the urge to turn around and tell the Instructors. I would have felt better if two marines in destroyer suits were going down those stairs instead of me. I could not explain why I had this strong feeling of something being very wrong. Our friends could be in some sort of trouble and any delay could make it worse on the other hand I would be responsible for them being reprimanded if it turned out to be nothing. Both the Elly and I went slowly down the stairs. As we reached the first landing, the door on top fell shut with a heavy thud and the lights went out.

Interlude 25: Distant events, present

Olnatar had been celebrated as a hero, as the one defeating a huge alien ship.

He had to tell the events many times over and now was the grand Initiator of the fleet and in a brand new ship.

He was leading the largest fleet ever assembled and commanded by a single Siucra back into the direction where the boats and little ships of the Plato went, that survived the destruction of the big ship. They had left a trace of little sophisticated robotic devices behind marking their way. These robotic devices would self destruct before one could be secured, He was not sure what the purpose of these things were, but he was certain they would lead them to a planet or perhaps several planets filled with offensive lifeforms daring to wear the offensive shade and advance into holy space. His mission was simple, sterilize those worlds and secure one or maye two of these big vessels for closer study. It would be to the glory of the Masters to destroy and eradicate them. He commanded over 1000 ships all equipped with Holy Fire casters.

IVANHOE’S CREW

The crew of the USS Ivanhoe in their small fleet of twelve D 20 shuttles, 8 P5-Specter and two science scallops had traveled back towards Union space as far as their engines allowed. Even the specters could make it 200 more light years; Commander Marcus Rullus made the decision to have the little craft stay together. Only the specters, based on the Wolfcraft fighter were armed. All the craft were cramped to the last possible space with the 600 beings of the Ivanhoe crew with the bulk of the numbers in the two multi role scallops. The Ivanhoe had been equipped with escape pods, but launching pods with such a hateful enemy nearby was most likely suicide.

The scallops were slow and did not have a very good long distance range. The life support systems strained beyond limit, Rullus was not sure how long they would last. They were still over 6000 light years from the fringes of Klack space and the nearest Union Out Post. The ninth fleet was on its way and thanks to the relay chain they were in direct contact with fleet command. However they were able to look into the other direction as well. They could access the Buoy scanner and sensor data and saw the huge alien fleet approaching, two buoys had already been lost.

Even though they had virtually no space to move, some of the scientists worked analyzing scanner results, language patterns, and weapon and tech specs.

A hail came in on Union Com. “This is the personal honor guard of her majesty the Queen. Her Majesty and sovereign ruler of the Klack Hegemony ordered us dispatched and come to the help of our brothers and friends in distress. We are well ahead of the Ninth Fleet and should arrive within two hour.”

Nn’tik, the former OPS officer of the Ivanhoe, made a pulling motion with his upper right arm in a very human expression of an emotion.” Yes!”

Someone padded the chitin back of the Klack and said.” Let’s hope they brought enough ships! Those aliens will be here in approximately ninety minutes.”

Nn’tik had a hard time turning in the crowded confines. “My friend, the honor guard has only one ship. All other armed Klack ships are under Union Fleet command.”

“We should warn them! One ship won’t be enough.”

“The Klack put his Antenna gently on the face of the human officer” What is the largest Space ship my friend?”

“The Devi of course!”

“No my friend. The Devi is the largest ship in the fleet capable of landing on a planet. The Bison Fleet tenders are technically space ships and are bigger than the Devi, the long freight tugs making it across the bridge with freight too large for the trains, are often 100 kilometers long and more, but soon you will see something few non Klack have ever seen.” He then said. “However I too would rather see the Immortal warror appear along with the Devi and the First Fleet and tear these upside down hanging Kermac thralls a new one!”

“You sound more human every day, Nn’tik.” A Purple throat Shiss wedged in between other crew members observed, while two small furry Holdian were sitting on his broad shoulders avoiding being trampled or crushed.

“There is no need to insult me, Old enemy! I am as Klack as can be!”

Everyone knew that the two were the best of friends and Nn’tik was playing on the fact that the Shiss and the Klack had been enemies for millennia. Nn’tik was of course not offended but very happy that the racial distinctions and habits slowly eroded and the huge collection of different civilizations slowly but surely became one new civilization.

Chapter 24 »