VR-Spacebus-Ch5-bjh

Chapter 5: The Shiss

Posted: 7/23/2019, 5:21:28 AM

Gbuzzzh served the Nest of Hazzzock for all his life as his family had for centuries. He was now in charge of seven Kashirs and he himself managed to get a Zhum-Kashir from the First Nestling Shipyards at Shiss-Ta. Even the 400 meter Kashir, appeared small compared to this capital battleship, the finest and biggest ship class ever built by the Shiss. Only 200 existed and he was in command. The power and might, the destruction he could unleash and the horror he instilled. It had been built to answer the increasing threat of the Nul.

His current mission was to destroy the communication buoys in the region. The Kermac had supplied them with a detailed map showing all the locations of these mostly automated stations. Some were occupied but then destroying them was even more rewarding.

He had just destroyed the very last one, not very far from a Union Colony, called Charlie’s Port according to Kermac intelligence.

Officially the Kermac remained neutral, but they had an inherent animosity for anything Union. The white psi-wizards, claiming to be the true masters of the Universe for millenia. (<< Not a complete sentence and I've no idea what you're really trying to say.)

The Kermac had secretly sent envoys and thousands of powerful line blast cannons. One such Kermac envoy was detached to his command.

Gbuzzzh was lying belly down on his raised Command roost and looked at the back of the small framed body of the Kermac and said in the old language. “You served us well Kermac but Zuhm has been called and the Galactic Council is next and you won’t leave this ship alive. Your psionic abilities are useless against the Shiss.”

The Kermac turned his entire body and said. “You speak in a tongue I do not understand, Nestling of Command, did you address me?”

Gbuzzzh snickered. “Oh yes, I just told my fellow command Shiss how pleased we are with your information and told them about the reward you about to receive.”

That caused the rest of the Shiss that were also on the bridge to laugh. The Kermac simply laughed too and said. “Your victories are payment enough.”

Neither the Shiss aboard the ship nor the Kermac remembered that this behavior of the Shiss, betraying their allies, was the real reason for the war against the Nul, that lasted so long.

The Shiss and the Nul once were allies and the trust of the Nul was used to lure them into a trap and a bloody massacre where Shiss killed millions of Nul; it appeared that the Kermac would face a similar fate.

His Scanner operator said. “I am getting energy emissions consistent with these Communication buoys only two xaahz from our current position. It is not on the map and just came on.”

Gbuzzzh laughed excited. “They are putting up a new one. So this time we will not only destroy the tool but the Union scum littering space with this junk.”

The Scanner operator added. “I am getting mass readings and it looks to be a very big station.”

Right after the Scanner operator had said that a voice came from the Tachyon Radio station. “This is SII Security. You are identified as non-Union hostiles responsible for the destruction of company equipment and causing lethal injury to Company employees. Please stand down and prepare to be taken into custody. This is your one and only warning.”

Gbuzzzh rose from his command roost and snarled at the Shiss who among other things operated the communications equipment. “I did not authorize you to replay alien transmissions.”

The Yellow throat ducked in anticipation of physical punishment.

“My liege, the equipment came on all by itself. We currently investigate a foreign program component that invaded our systems just now.”

Gbuzzzh lashed his tail across the face of the Yellow Throat and paid little attention to whatever that meant. He had never heard of a species called SII, but most likely one of the many Union species that supposed to exist. "They too would...”

The Kermac however knew and interrupted his thoughts with alarm in his voice. “We should vacate these coordinates very fast.”

“We are not cowards, like you Kermac. Fearing a giant that turned out to be hollow and weak. We command the finest Shiss technology and there is nothing that could stand against us now.”

Whatever else he wanted to say did not pass his teeth; there was complete silence as everyone stared on the main viewer.

A spherical space ship appeared on the scanners and came closer very fast. It was engulfed in a shimmering purple bubble. SII Security spelled across its graphite shaded hull. Dome shaped turrets appeared all over the gigantic alien ship.

-””—

Bumblebee, as the Union settlers had called the third planet in the Minkor System had been a pleasant garden world with five large continents and deep oceans. Seemingly endless Tundras covered most of the biggest continent and with some imagination it was shaped like a Terran insect called a bumblebee. When the local fall season came around, the shoulder-high grass that covered the ocean-sized prairies turned to a bright orange. Huge herbivores called Puffies, almost like big combines gorging themselves on the protein-rich orange seed pods and leaving the wide strips of dark, almost black stalks behind, furthering the symbolic visual analogy with that Terran insect.

Both the grass and the animals had commercial value.

The orange grain not only made colorful bread and cakes, it had a nutty flavor many humans liked and had the potential to make Bumblebee a very rich world. The first harvests were snatched up by produce dealers. Three of the Giga Corps: Enroe, SII Agra and Tyson Food had set up test farms and the local business development cooperation received a substantial grant from the Union Colony development fund, used to upgrade the local Space Port to Class C, complete with Long distance scanners and defense batteries.

Baldy opened the Intercom and said. “Passengers it looks like we made another leg of our journey. We are approaching Bumblebee and all looks peaceful.”

As the passengers walked down the boarding ramp an hour later and onto the clean Duro-Crete of the landing area, sun drenched with a mild breeze tugging on their clothing, they felt as if they were walking out of a nightmare. The air was fresh, but not cold. There was a faint hint of fresh hay in the air and the sky was clear and baby blue.

However the space bus was the only space ship there.

From the distant space port terminal, a ground skimmer was coming their way.

Lady Luna once again clutching her cape said with a failing voice. “I don’t see any Army Apaches.”

Valthim said. “This is a civilian port, they have their own garrison field for sure and this place looks as if they have underground hangars as well.”

This seemed to console her somewhat.

The skimmer was a large passenger transporter and many of the passengers recoiled as they saw a Shiss behind the controls. Baldy tried to calm them. “Relax, this is Crhizzz, he is a Purple Throat and our company's local manager.

The tall muscular four armed Shiss jumped to the ground and Valthim fingered his rifle more out of instinct than anything else.

The Shiss said. “Forgive me, but the Port facilities are closed since the crisis started and we did not even expect a bus coming through.

Baldy embraced the much taller Shiss. “Twenty nine hours from Cobalt Springs with a detour over 56454 that should be a new record. At least in Space bus terms.”

The Shiss agreed, “Yes, you crazy human, that is fast, but why risk it?”

“They made us Post Ship again.”

The Shiss understood and gestured towards the landing field. “They didn’t offer you an escort? Where’s your escort?”

“They left us at Cobalt Springs but you have plenty soldiers here?”

“None of the Army kind. They left yesterday to engage the Shiss at Shallow, They haven’t returned since.”

Lady Luna pressed her gloved fist before her mouth and with trembling almost screaming voice. “Is this monstrosity saying there are no soldiers here either? I demand to know where Captain Lody is.”

The Shiss hissed but it was more like a sigh. “I know I look like them, but I am Purple throat and we are Union citizens for over 1900 years. I am a Civilian; I do not know the names of the soldiers or their exact plans.”

Baldy stuck his finger directly under the nose of the Thauran lady. “I had about enough of you; you can find transportation somewhere else. You keep insulting my friends; you act like your something better. This ain’t Thauran, Sister and you can stick all your noble nonsense up your light blue behind. On a more personal note, if you are military you should know soldiers receive orders and go where they told. Chasing after some Army captain during wartime in a space bus is about the dumbest thing I ever heard.”

Lady Luna started crying and Valthim actually pulled his gun, but only halfway. Hawk had, despite his cuffed hands grabbed the wrist of Valthim and said calmly. “I can break your wrists right here and now Mister.”

Valthim howled more out of rage than pain. “This insolent bastard, this peasant, dared to insult a Lady of highest birth.”

The Shaill Sheriff said. “He is the Shipmaster and has by charter of his company and by Union law the right to refuse transportation to anyone. He is entitled to an opinion and by the second article of our constitution can express it. Ms. Lody may file law suits or complains and do all the thing civilized Union Citizens do. So Mr. Valthim do you want to act upon your impulses then do so and I will revoke any weapon license you hold by grounds of emotional instability and confiscate your hardware for starters.”

Wilcox stepped behind the Shaill. “I back him up on that one too!”

Valthim pressed his lips together and nodded, only then Hawk released his grip.

The Shiss said. “I bet all your nerves are raw and on the edge. Coreward Space Bus Company will pay for accommodations at the local Holiday Inn.”

The Shiss gestured to the Skimmer. “I bet all those kids are tired and bored.”

The Passengers, the kids, Wilcox and Baldy also climbed aboard, only Emerson and the Archa remained behind. The Archa said to the Shiss. “Any chance we got a Primary Cooler Unit in stock?”

“The Shop is open but our personnel are gone, evacuated with most of the town folks.”

The Archa raised his upper legs and said. “Come then Emerson; let us see what we can find.”

The Shiss piloted the open skimmer towards town and Wilcox asked. “If everyone left, why are you still here?”

“Not everyone left. SII and Enroe personnel are still here and so are all the beings of the Bumblebee Defense Militia.” The Shiss pointed at a black and yellow sleeve patch. “I am one of them,”

Sprewell did not even try to veil his mistrust, as Wilcox did, and said, “Why haven’t the Shiss been here?”

Crhizzz pointed at two massive towers like structures in the distance behind the Spaceport. “We have them on our long range scanners alright, but ENROE just installed these as part of the Port defense.”

Sprewell looked. “I fail to understand.”

Boone grinned deeply. “Because the Shiss who tried found out why LOKI torpedoes have such a terrible reputation. Those are Loki Torpedo launch towers.”

Crhizzz steered the flyer off of the spaceport and towards town. “We only got 2 torpedoes left but they don’t know that, and the first eight we launched blasted eight of their Kashir to bits.”

-””-

About an hour later most of the passengers sat on tables in the hotel's dining room with a human and a Shiss female serving dinner.

Lady Luna appeared from the elevators and walked toward the reception. Her steps were stiff and unsteady.

Just as she reached the reception counter, the hotel door opened and a wounded, sod covered man stumbled in.

Doc Boone much more agile than anyone would have thought rushed to the man, gone was the drunken jolly man and in his place a man in charge. “Crhizzz get over here and help me get this man over there to the sofa. “Hawk get me my bag I left at the table.”

Doc Boone removed the blood soaked clothing and revealed terrible bite marks and gory wounds. “Son, this will take a while but I think we can get you through.”

The man coughing and groaning. “I am Ulf Banner, I am from Shallow, and the Shiss came. I managed to crawl away and escape in my old Poodle.”

Luna stalked closer. “But the Soldiers there protected you.”

The man coughed again. “No mam, the Soldiers were slaughtered. I doubt any of them made it. The Shiss killed everyone.”

Lady Luna whispered. “Killed everyone? My husband...” Luna stepped back, turned halfway to the counter and then with a sigh collapsed onto the floor.

Valthim yelled. “Quick, Wilcox, Doctor. Leave that wounded fool, the lady she is ill.”

Doc Boone didn’t turn his head. “I still try to save this man’s life. Isn’t there a Med station with med bots in town?”

The Nul said. “It hasn’t been delivered yet.”

Doc Boone with both hands bloody suturing and clamping said. “Daphne get help and get the Thauran woman to a room. Check her pulse and get her undressed. I'll be there in a moment.”