RM2-ch6:Alive?-edited

Chapter 6: Alive?

“Nice to meet you, Sir. I have to tell you my mother is dead. She and my father were killed in a pirate attack, a little while ago.”

The alien creature paid no attention to what Roy had said. “I am a very old Bellebee and I still get confused using the Avatar technology. This is why I wanted to meet you like this, young Masters. Let Cara and Ukdu talk while I show you a few magnificent sights.”

Roy carefully adjusted the thrusters and slowly followed the huge being.

“Alright, Mr. Moke-Die. I am right behind you, at least if that dark orange-colored section counts as your behind.”

“We don’t really use such designations. Come and sit on me, that way you do not have to concentrate on flying that contraption.”

Roy did follow the advice and Partner followed as well, the animal did not use the suits thrusters yet he managed to steer just fine.

While sitting on the surprisingly hard surface of the beings upper side, Moke-Die said. “Those suits are as marvelous as all Union technology, but I assure you no Bellebee has ever failed to fly while it was alive.”

That was quite reassuring and Roy relaxed a little. “Yes sir, I believe that right away.”

“I am the last Bellebee that came to be before we became Union members. As you may know, we have none of the senses you have. I have no ears, no eyes. Yet this Avatar technology all the younger Belles love so much, gives us simulated ears and eyes, can you imagine how confusing sight can be to someone who never saw anything?”

Roy nodded and then realized the Alien could not see his nod and said, “Yes Sir, I think I can imagine, sort of at least.”

He wondered why the Bellebee was telling him all this, but then, as alien and strange as they were, their old people acted not so different from human seniors. He also noted that they were already many hundred kilometers away from the City. The huge majestic balloons that appeared to move so slow traveled in wind currents of supersonic speed.

The old Bellebee seemed pleased with that answer and continued.

“Your mother has been here on Humongous before she married and moved to Green Hell, working on her thesis. While she wasn’t the only Union Biologist who studied us; there are always ten to fifteen around at any given time; she was one of those who really cared about her work and us in extension.”

Again Roy nodded inside his helmet. “Yes being a scientist was everything to her.”

“She discovered that some of us could get sick from Ozone when it passed through a weakened food membrane. She developed a food supplement, much like you humans need vitamins and eliminated a problem that plagued us for ages and was the cause for the premature death quite a few Bellebees.”

“I will add this to my memories of her.”

“I am telling you this, to explain to you why I dedicated whatever life I have left to her and that self-elected task, of course, extends to you and I did that long before you decided to save us all.”

Roy sighed and looked to Partner who sat next to him behind a shimmering force field bubble of his suit that automatically created a perfect aerodynamic lens-shaped bubble. Roy was certain he had one around him too, “It was not just me.”

“I analyzed the events and I came to the conclusion we would all be turned to nuclear ashes without your intervention, but let us not talk about this.”

“Thank you!”

“When the news of your mother’s death reached Humongous, I was mourning her passing indeed. However, I am Bellebee, young Roy Masters. I collected every bit of data I could find. Fleet Reports, intercepted Kermac telepathic messages, flight plans, and mission parameters and every bit of even remotely connected information. While I analyzed that data, I discovered that a clerk on Pluribus had leaked the mission plan of the UES Zheng He.

“A clerk on Pluribus did what?”

“Giving someone unauthorized access to the flight plan and mission specifics of the Explorer Ship your mother was on. It enabled the pirates to plan a trap and intercept that ship. She and her Kermac sponsored Spy handler have been apprehended and will receive the punishment spies deserve.”

Roy no longer felt bored by the sermon of the old Bellebee. The UES Zhen He was the Explorer of his mother and it appeared the Kermac plot reached further than he knew. He clenched his fist and said. “If there is one thing I learned not to like, it’s spies and clandestine missions and all that.”

The Bellebee elder went on. “I have collected and analyzed everything I could find and due to my security clearance I was able to analyze your recent adventures as well, as you and any data you create are of course relevant to my dedication to your mother.”

Roy watched as they passed two other Bellebees, one of them appeared fleeing from a greenish glob with tentacles and what looked like a round mouth full of teeth. While he wanted to hear more what the Elder had to say, he interrupted. “I think one of your fellow Bellebees is about to get eaten or something.”

“Oh, how wonderful eyes are. Yes, I too noticed the Belsnap with a sense that is related to what humans call radar. This is a predatory lifeform and our natural enemy, but they are rare now. The young Belle out there just play with the poor Belsnap, both are Union Citizens and carry shield generators and weapons.” As if to underline the explanation of the old Bellebee, a bright bolt of energy glared across the violet sky and pierced the green glob and it instantly fell and disappeared beneath the swirling colors of angry clouds. The Old Bellebee said with sad regret in his voice. “There are voices who say we should preserve the Belsnap, and we Elder can see the wisdom in this, but the young ones like the two you are seeing want to be like Terrans. Do not understand me wrong, Roy Masters. We are Union Citizens and very proud of this fact, but I wish the young ones would also listen to the Elders and not trying to emulate Terrans too much.”

Roy frowned and said. “I don’t like killing for sport and no real reason either. Off Worlders try to stomp through our jungles in Armor suits and think the answer is to burn, shoot and blast everything in sight, yet they disturb the balance and at least on Green Hell, they pay the price for doing so.”

“Cara described you well; you are an impulsive teen as the young of humans and Bellebees have been since time begun, but you do have a quality of deep perceptiveness and wisdom that makes you quite different. Your mother was a lot like this and that is why I always considered her a real friend.”

“How about my mother, there is more to what you wanted to tell me, right?”

“Yes, there is more.” The Old Bellebee did go on. “The UES Zheng He was attacked by a pirate ship called the Green Snake, commanded by a pirate known as Captain Coldblood.”

The Bellebee paused for a brief moment and said.

“When I say I am analyzing information, I co-relate info to other information based on meaning, impact, and relationship. While a Computronic can do the same and even faster than us, these machines cannot see the significance of a rumor about a pirate transmitted via Tachyon radio...”

He paused again. “I am trailing of the subject and it isn’t important for you how I operate.”

“You are talking about events that affected and killed my parents, so I am eager to hear whatever you know. I kept myself ignorant and did not learn what I should have. Nothing I learned in the Jungles has any meaning out here.”

“If you look at your life and all the events that occurred to you, all the decisions you made as we do, the Bellebee way, you will realize that everything you did and learned was important in the forming the person you became. The sum of it all influences decisions you make and will make. Your decision to trust your big animal instead of running away forged the first bonds that eventually allowed you to save billions of lives yesterday. If you could see the net of connections I can see, you would be amazed by what effect even the most minute event has on the great whole.”

“Yes Sir, I think I understand, but could you go back again to the Green Snake and that pirate?”

Seamlessly the Elder Bellebee continued: “Analyzing this pirate’s patterns I concluded that he was acting under Kermac direction and the Pirate identity and behavior pattern is a cover.

Captain Coldblood knowing when and where the Zheng He would be at a given time, strengthens this conclusion considerably. Checking many sighting and scan reports, the Green Snake is not armed well enough to take out a Union Explorer under shields, therefore I ordered a detailed trace inspection of the area where the Zheng He was destroyed.”

“You can order something like that?”

“I carry the rank of Rear Admiral in the Union Fleet and I am attached to Fleet Operations like many other Bellebees are. So yes, investigating the demise of a Union Ship falls within my authority and I can and do dedicate assets, within certain limits and frameworks of course to conduct investigations.”

“What did that inspection find?”

“The detail sweep of the region resulted in two specific findings. One is the use of Nul Gravo Mines. Those are very expensive and big. They had to be set up prior by a bigger ship, than the Green Snake and the other result was the discovery of much of the Zheng He’s debris and her logbook drone. We concluded that the bridge module that can be jettisoned as an emergency craft was missing from the mass of debris”

Roy’s mouth became dry and he completely forgot that he was floating in a violent killer atmosphere. “Tell me everything!” He yelled.

“Slaver activity, the sale of such a Union Bridge module on a Golden Bazaar, reported by a NAVINT operative, the content of the logbook and your recent dream where you correctly identified the name of a Klack that was part of the Zheng He crew leave only one conclusion.”

Roy interrupted before the Bellebee could say it. “You mean that there is a chance my mother is alive?”

“The last Log entries describe the attack and that the Module was jettisoned, your parents were present on the Bridge at that time.”

Roy unconsciously had known it the entire time and now as it had been said, there was no doubt in his mind that this was true. “What is done to free them?”

“There is nothing done, Roy Masters. Your parents if they indeed survived, are most likely sold as slaves and all known slave markets are in Freespace.”

“Why not? We got a fleet and we got military for that very reason. That is why it exists.”

“The Union prohibits the trade in sentient life forms, but as big as the Union appears, we are not alone in the Universe. While our ethical understanding and our laws recognize fundamental rights for sentient individuals. It is not a universal concept and many see nothing wrong with slavery and sentient beings are just another commodity.”

“I understand that and I don’t care what others do, but my parents and the others were abducted. The colonists you spoke about were Union Citizen.”

“And have hundreds of societies, the Shiss, and the Nul enter the war as well? No, Roy. The Union can not break the treaty now. We are winning this war, our calculations are correct I am certain, but it is better we concentrate on one enemy at the time.”

Roy became angry. “My parents. The others, I saw other humans in my dreams as well! They are held in terrible conditions. This is what the Assembly needs to do. Free Union Citizens and protect them from being abducted.”

“This is a sore point and is discussed at least once a week at the Assembly. When loved ones make petitions; when raided colonies make the news or when pirates attack civilian ships, but there is no easy solution.”

“Are we not at war? Is the Freespace treaty not voided?”

“I am not defending the pirates or anyone committing crimes against our citizens. I just wanted to explain to you how difficult it is to police and protect every colony and every ship. Space is very big. The distances between star systems are truly tremendous and it is easy for others to find gaps in our armor. An entire enemy fleet made it to our Star system despite the fact we are at war and the fleet is at highest alert.

You just experienced a space battle and the Kermac’s plan to turn the tide of war. The fleet, the Assembly simply cannot guarantee the safety of everyone. We are already at war, going against slavers, breaching the contracts and treaties we have with the Shiss, the Nul and others carry a high risk of War escalation. Our chances to win that war are good, but by no means certain.”

Roy sounded defeated. “But my parents?”

“You know how much we respect your mother, but the chances of them still being alive is not very good and even if your dreams are indeed caused by some sort of long-range telepathic phenomenon, they could be at a thousand different places.”

“If you knew all this; if the fleet or the government can’t help me; why tell me in the first place?”

“The government cannot help you, but that does not mean I won’t help you. Not as a member of the Armed forces, but as a friend of your mother.”

“I appreciate the sentiment, but what could you do? I mean you guys are all smart and analytical, but I think a fast ship and a commando unit would be needed.”

The huge gasbag had an amused tone. “Well, yes we are physically quite limited and more or less stuck on this planet, but you should not underestimate analytical thinking and the application of results. We have many sources of information and I will attempt to find out if they are indeed alive and where they are. Once I can get details, we can make plans, secure the necessary resources and affect a rescue.”

“I need to postpone my trip to Sares and my plans to join the Marines. I need to find my parents, I just know they are alive!”

As he was saying this, he realized. “Cara knew about this, didn’t she and so did Admiral Stahl. They knew there is a chance my parents are still alive and they didn’t tell me.”

“Young Roy Masters. I do not know this Cara and I cannot claim to know what the Immortal Warrior knows, but I analyze information for a very long time. I can assure you that even if the Universe itself will try to deceive you, he will not. There are very few constants in this galaxy, Admiral Stahl, however, is one. Now before you make hasty decisions and let emotions overtake sound reason, please be patient. Heated action without direction is quite silly. We will stay in contact and as soon as I have news I will inform you.”

Roy could not think to say anything else as “Thank you!”

“Now we must first ascertain that they are indeed alive and if they are, find out where they are being held. I might be just a bag of gas to you, but I can access and analyze every rumor, every intercepted communication and that is what I am doing right now.”

“And then? Will the Union Fleet get them, before they are dead for real?”

“I cannot give such orders and even your remarkable friendship with the Immortal himself won’t change the fact that the fleet or the Union cannot help you.”

“What good will it do to know they are alive and there is nothing to be done?”

“I understand your emotions, but you maybe it helps you to add a little Bellebee to your mind and hear all that is said. The Fleet can’t help your parents, that doesn’t mean there is nothing to be done. Once we established they are alive and their whereabouts, you will learn that our Union is not ignoring the cries for help and that there are ways to help your parents.”

--””—

The Bellebee changed course and headed back to the City.

Roy had to agree Stahl would not deceive him. The Immortal left everything in the middle of a war to come to help him personally, but he was angry.

“How about Cara?”

“She is your friend I am sure, but I do not know her and have insufficient information to answer your question.”

“Sir, how would you try finding a pirate?”

“If I knew or could predict the whereabouts of any pirate within Union territory, that Pirate would meet with a Battleship instead with a merchant ship, but Freespace is beyond our reach and the Intel assets we have there are few and not all are reliable. It is said that another Immortal admiral is working on a project to remedy that, but if I were you I would talk to the Wurgus. They get around far beyond Union space and you are, as it appears the first non-Wurgus to have the ear of the All Patriarch.”

–””--

Back at the floating city, Cara greeted him, she was already back inside and asked. “Had a good time out there?”

Roy decided to keep this new knowledge to himself at least for the time being until he had time to form a plan as how to find his parents.

He said. “Yes, I learned a few things about the Bellebees and watched them blast some sort of predatory beast.”

“There aren’t too many humans who can claim to have ridden on the oldest Bellebee.” She gestured to the IST tunnel. “In the light of our ships delay, we are not in a particular hurry. Your new friends should be done watching their show. I for one will take advantage of the VIP status we got thanks to you. They have great SPA facilities at the local Sheraton.”

“I am sure they have.” He said not sounding very enthusiastic.

“Don’t knock it before you tried it, you and Partner can join me of course or you can go off on your own and see if you find something to pass the time. Of course, I would appreciate if you try to call me before you decide to go on any unplanned adventures.”

Partner sneezed and sat next to Cara and Roy said, “Are you serious? SPA is like sauna and hair and massage and stuff like that.”

Cara laughed with her clear voice and scratched Partners side. “He is a very smart animal after all.”

Partner liked hearing that.

“You are the most vane, sleepy beast in the whole Galaxy. Go ahead get pampered. I see if I can find Sobyr and the others if they are still here.”

Roy had left Partner and Cara at the Hotel’s Spa and beauty center.

Shortly after Cara and Partner went in, he actually could feel the comfort and joy his animal felt. His four-legged friend transmitted mental images of a dozen exotic beauties all cooing about him. Roy smirked and was glad his friend enjoyed himself.

He had no plans to relax, there was nothing else in his mind than his parents and what he could do to find them and rescue them.

If he told Cara, she would watch him even closer. As much as she claimed to be his friend, he still felt she had an agenda that superseded the friendship part. Of course, there was the Wurgus meeting and the recent events showed how potent their technology was.

Him being at that meeting by request of a Wurgus Patriarch was important to the Union and Cara was more or less there to make sure he made it to that meeting. But he also remembered the old Bellebee mentioning the Wurgus. Maybe he should try to reach that patriarch, but how?

If he called the Immortal admiral, he would tell him the same as the Bellebee admiral. Not even Stahl could risk widening the war for a few human slaves.

Perhaps Uncle Sam would know. He used to go hunting pirates and all that before he settled on Green Hell.

He found a GalNet terminal in the hotel lobby and sat down after activating the privacy screen. “System, connect me to Sam Brown, Green Hell.”

“Requested party has a GalCom account, but has no registered GalNet Terminal and is not listed to have any active Comm devices. Do you wish to leave a message?”

Knowing Sam, it could be months before he went to Ant Hill to check his messages. “System, new request. Connect me to the Union Post Office.”

“Accessing, Union Post Office interface active.”

He selected the record option and said. “Uncle Sam, it’s me, Roy. I really need your advice on an urgent matter. Please contact me on my PDD as soon as you can.”

He then had the message put on a physical chip and send via Union Mail to Green Hell. The chip delivered to Ma Swanson and she would send one of her employees with a flyer to Sam. A bit slow but at least he was certain he would get it.

“System what is the charge?”

“All charges have been covered by the Bellebee Society account. Do you wish to use a different account?”

“No.”

As he left the booth he was greeted by Aat, or more precisely pointed out by her as she raised her voice. “Guys I found him.”

Sobyr and the others gathered around him and the Thauran said. “You are hard to find, but we sure appreciate the sentiment. State Dinner, guests of honor and all that. What did your mother do to them exactly?”

Roy sighed. “She cured some sort of disease they had.”

Ncchsi managed to make her lizard face look impressed. “Curing a disease, you must be mighty proud of her.”

Alejandro padded Roy’s shoulder. “Yeah, Sobyr’s father is the station commandant and was never invited by the Bellebees.”

Sobyr looked around as if to make sure no one else could hear. “They sure like to tease me about my Thauran roots.”

“What is it with that Thauran thing. I don’t understand.”

Aat laughed. “I guess they don’t have any Thaurans on Green Hell then.”

She smirked I Sobyr’s direction. “They are known to be the most arrogant, self-serving beings in the Universe. Able to teach even the Kermac how that is done.”

Sobyr spread his arms. “The worst part is we know it is true, but it is part of our culture and we made a science out of it. I try really hard not to be too much Thauran but sometimes I can’t deny my roots.”

Alejandro looked around. “Where is Partner?”

Roy closed his eyes and could see his big now being friend submerged up to his eyes in a big tub of steaming mud. Cara and several other girls, wearing nothing at all sharing the tub. Roy sighed with a smile. “He’s taking a mud bath with Cara and enjoys every minute of it.”

Pictfram’s alien face split like a fruit and a purple tongue like thing appeared for a second. “Oh that sounds awesome, I love mud baths too.”

Ncchsi agreed. ”Me too!”

Roy shrugged. “I guess you could go there as well.”

They were still standing in the Hotel Lobby and Sobyr said. “I am not really up to sitting in a tub with mud, what are your plans for the rest of the day?”

Roy shrugged. “I was planning to do some research.”

Sobyr blinked surprised. “Thanks to you we are honor guests in a Lux Hotel till tomorrow, that means free food, free snacks, entertainment and all that. You didn’t strike me as study nerd like Alejandro, besides School won’t start for another month. What are you studying?”

Roy wanted to share the news he got with someone so he said.

“I just found out that my parents might still be alive and kept as slaves somewhere in Freespace.”

Sobyr pointed to a seat group island in the hotel lobby. “Why don’t we sit down and you tell us all about it.”

Aat nodded. “I remember you telling us that they were killed by pirates.”

They all sat down and Roy more or less told them, what the Old Bellebee told him and when he was done, Sobyr said. ”We need a Ship and a fair amount of money of course. I think I can scratch 50,000 together, what about you Aat?”

Roy raised his hand. “Hold on! Ship, Money, what are you talking about?”

Sobyr said. “We going to help you of course to find your parents. We need a ship to get to Freespace, the Calypso won’t go TL that far and then we need money for weapons, supplies and bribes and such. To find out where the Pirates sold your parents.”

Alejandro leaned forward. “I bet we find could information at Alvor’s Cove. I heard it is a famous Slave Market.”

Roy felt deeply touched by the reaction of these five new friends. There was no hesitation at all, they were willing to sacrifice their money and future to help him.

“Guys, I appreciate your sentiment and there is nothing I would like to do more than to jump into the next space ship and search for my parents. I even think with all your help I would have a chance, but I can’t accept your offer. You would throw away your future and go against Pirates and Slavers? This is too dangerous, what if one of you gets hurt or dies?”

Sobyr looked at him as if he spoke Nul. “You’re a friend, doesn’t matter if you a new friend or an old friend. Helping a friend is the highest calling and the cost is irrelevant. We Thaurans might be perceived as arrogant a-holes but we have old code of honor and I find it worth living by it.”

Roy said.

“Alright then, I am in no position to reject help but we need to plan this before we run into the blue. If we fail my parents are doomed for sure and if we spend the next ten years searching space, we will be too late.”

Alejandro said. “Then let’s do the research together.”

Aat got up. “We need to find out where this Green Snake and Captain Coldblood usually strikes; where pirates like him hide out and sell Slaves.”

Roy sighed. “You know this is probably the dumbest thing we ever do, and yet part of me doesn’t even want to wait. I feel every moment we waste could mean they are coming too late. Maybe they are dead already.”

Ncchsi said. “I call Inklung, he’s a Leedei. I will be right back.”

The Maggi-Suron rushed to the GalNet Booths.

Pictfram said. “That’s a great idea, maybe Inklung can get us access to a Telelistener”

“Can you explain to me what a Leedei is and who is she calling?”

Sobyr shrugged. “I have no idea, I never heard of Inklung either.”

Alejandro tabbed the coffee table between them, activating the computronic interface and said. “System establish field screen above table, access GalNet, display Leedei.”

A gray somewhat humanoid being was displayed and Alejandro said. “They come from Dwarf Galaxy M32 and are quite advanced and have Psionic talents on Saresii levels and perhaps the best Psi-Tech of anyone.”

Sobyr snapped his finger. “Oh right, those are the guys who accidentally discovered the Bridge, by pointing their PSI listening device to a section of space that was void of any stars, deep space between Andromeda and the Milky Way Galaxy and received the Psionic thought activity of millions of minds. Their device had focused on the Bridge

Alejandro half obscured by the projection nodded. “Yes, they discovered the Bridge by using a Psionic Telescope, called the Telelistener.”

Ncchsi came back.

“Let’s go. Inklung might be able to get us access to a Tele-Listener.”

“What are we doing exactly and what will the Telelistener do?”

Alejandro turned to Roy.

The lizard being flickered with her tongue and said. “Inklung was in my class for a while, they are at least as good as the Saresii with psionics. Maybe they can use that device to trace to the source of your dreams and thus find your parents location.”

Alejandro nodded. “If I understood Ncchi’s friend correctly, they can find a known Psionic brain wave, using that Telelistener clear across the Galaxy. Since you know your mother’s mind, you connect to the thing and we find out if your parents are still alive and maybe even find out where they are.”

Now that was the first concrete plan and it raised much hope in Roy. “Now come to think of it, Doctor Seniie the CMO of the ship I came in, mentioned a Tele Psi device. Where does this Leedei live?”

The lizard said. “Inklung said we can come right away. He and his family live on Kappa VIII, that’s the utmost planet of this system. There is a shuttle connection leaving from Belle Station every 5 hours.”

Roy felt like sitting on needles and he wanted to go right away.

“Could we visit your friend with Avatars?”

Ncchsi declined his head. “Sure we can but Psionics won’t work with Avatars. You need to be there physically. Inklung doesn’t know your mother’s mind.”

Roy pulled his PDD and said, “Connect me to Cara.”

She answered right away but did not activate the visuals. “Your friend is alright, Roy. The girls here argued for about ten minutes who would be allowed to massage him. Now they are all petting him and even though I have no Psionic connection with Partner, I can tell he is loving it.”

Roy felt his animal's emotions and she was right, Partner was very relaxed and loved every minute of it. He concentrated on the conversation and said. “I am calling because we wanted to go to Belle Station and then visit a friend of Ncchsi.”

“We are in the system for at least three more days. Go right ahead, but keep in touch and please let me know if you plan to get into any unusual situations.”

He knew she was sensing some of his thoughts and he didn’t want to lie to her so he said. “I will let you know.”

He planned to tell her what he was trying to do as soon as he had any idea what that would be and of course preferably from a GalNet terminal already halfway to his parents, so she could not stop him.

Just as they wanted to leave the hotel, Partner popped into existence right before them in a cloud of perfumed air. No matter how much he liked where he was, Partner felt that Roy was about to leave and there was no place Partner wanted to be more than at Roy’s side.

Roy did stop in his tracks. “What in the world did happen to you?”

Partner’s usually coarse and black neck fur had been brushed and there were pink highlights and a Rhinestone-encrusted hair clip sparkled between his glowing horns.

Partner sneezed very proud and happy.

“I have a feeling you won’t have any problems fitting in on Sares Prime. You sure don’t look like an Imperial Fury Beast.”

Aat cooed. “Oh but he looks so adorable and he smells so nice.”

Partner gave Roy a defiant look and sneezed.