Misc Episode 3: Neighbors

=Triangulum Files=

Episode 3: Neighbors
The sun blazed just above the horizon. It had been up for a couple of hours already yet it had hardly moved. Dominating the rest of the sky loomed the blue gas giant, Cerulean. One or two of its other moons could still be seen. They hadn’t been named yet, but soon would be. It was Initium that concerned Dante at the moment.

Initium was one of the largest moons orbiting Cerulean in the Hell’s Cradle system, and a garden world at that. From space you couldn’t tell that this vibrant world would be a little chillier than ideal, or that the weather was blustery more often than not. However, for the lost souls aboard it was paradise.

“We’ve just begun laying out the power and water systems. If our current pace holds they should be complete in eight or nine days,” said the fur covered Garbini. “Buildings should start going up in a few days.”

“Focus on the infrastructure. I don’t want two settlements when Deep Night starts,” insisted Dante with a shiver. Regular nights were bad enough with a little over 21 hours of darkness, but they were 16 days away from the beginning of the Deep Night when Initium would pass into the shadow of their blue gas giant. Some had wanted to call it “Hell Freeze”, or “Shadow Winter.” In the end it was decided that it was just going to be like every other night…..only much deeper.

“The people need more homes….” began Mayor Bi.

“In five days I’ll need to move everyone at the temporary location to begin preparing for the new ISAH Pods. I can’t be moving large equipment above them,” cut in Dante.

“But the people,” exclaimed Bi.

“Are safe, warm, and healthy aboard Harvard. A couple of extra families spending the Deep Night off Harvard is not worth anyone’s safety, nor any delay in getting Harvard up to fighting form,” corrected Dante and when the tentacled mayor looked like he would speak again, he continued, “You have any suggestions to expedite the relocation of the temporary settlement we would gladly appreciate the input. Do you think your people are ready to take over the refinery?”

“Yes, they all had relevant past experience and have been studious in their efforts. I believe they could begin handling the day-to-day operations. With Navy oversight. Of course,” replied Mayor Bi grudgingly. The location of the settlement had be primarily decided due to the proximity of the molecularly compressed hydrogen refinery. And while it was still a Navy asset Dante had been having some civilian engineers trained to operate and maintain the facility so as to free up some of his own engineers.

“Excellent. Let's have them start tomorrow. They can work alongside my engineers for the next six or seven days,” added Dante in an attempt to try and put the incident behind them.

The mayor had tried several times since they made landfall to assert civilian authority. Each incident tended to be brief and over something inconsequential. Dante had the feeling of being tested for weak points.

“Yes, Captain. If you come this way I can show you the greenhouses,” gestured Bi with a tentacled arm. “We only have the first one completed, however there are four planned in the first phase. We’re currently using it to start the seedlings which can be moved to the others. Once completed. Of course.”

The greenhouse was nearly 200 meters long, but only 10 meters wide with a domed roof. It was constructed from a flexible transparent Dura-Plast like compound. Double walled with an air pocket between would provide adequate insulation to get the plants through the Deep Night. Rigid ribbing supported the structure along its length, but also allowed it to flex slightly when the winds picked up. The soil conditions weren’t optimal for growing the seeds they’d brought with them, so the entire greenhouse system was to be a soilless hydroponic system. Extremely efficient with very little waste.

Currently the seeds were on large tables suspended in a gelatin substance. Here and there tiny green sprouts and small white webbed roots could be seen as the seeds germinated.

“What of the native plants?” asked Dante as he bent to study a tomato seedling.

“There are a few species which seem promising. They are currently outside, but we will be moving them into the fourth greenhouse once it’s completed. We are still experimenting, but Ensign Tilta has been a tremendous help.”

Ensign Tilta was the closest thing to a exo-flora specialist they had. She had been the one to suggest investigating the native flora for possible food sources. At the very least for plants that could be used to create food printer flavoring. A tuber and gourd like plant had been deemed edible, and one of precious few fruiting shrubs. A couple of smaller leafy plants had strong flavors which could be used as seasoning or printer flavor. A civilian farmer……. a Mr. Brackenback, and Ms.Tilta had developed an amazing working relationship. And if the rumors were true they were fast becoming more than just colleagues.

They made their way out of the greenhouse and down toward the main construction site. Here, Navy engineers and technicians worked alongside their civilian counterparts to try and bring a piece of the Union to the Triangulum galaxy. Several of the former Gax slaves were amongst them. The large furred Archon had proved extremely adept when it came to manual labor. Their two meter frame and thick fur allowed them to work easily in the chilly conditions. They were a humanoid species in that they had a head, torso, two arms and two legs, but diverged from there. No visible ears, large wide set eyes, lack of the mouth. and a hole for a nose made for startling first impressions. Long arms ending in four digit hands, two fingers in the middle and a thumb on either side. Their legs have both forward face and rear facing knees, ending in four digit feet, two forward and two rear facing. Lastly, they had a tail as long as they were tall which was used primarily for balance when running or standing in high winds. They described their homeworld as being a flat grassland with nearly continuous wind.

“How are you all holding up,” asked Dante to a small group of Archon who were resting after digging a trench for yet more plumping.

“We are well, Great Leader,” translated his PDD. The Archon language was buzzes, whistles and grunts which they articulated through an air bladder system located behind and under their chin. In place of a mouth, a bony plate projects the sound forward.

“Have we managed to approximate your food correctly?” inquired Dante, knowing that their natural diet was very limited and they had been having difficulty adjusting to the food they’d been given.

“The texture has improved. The taste has not improved. We are well, Great Leader. We are happy to be free,” again answered the largest of the group. He had dark, nearly black, fur with lighter marks showing old scars and green colored eyes.

“We’ll have to keep working on it. If only we had some of those grrpozz we could grow ourselves. If there is anything I can do to make you more comfortable, please don’t hesitate to ask,” offered Dante with the intention of moving on with his tour, but the large Archon spoke again.

“There are a small number who have a request, Great Leader. We are well, except for these small number. All are happy to be free. This small number wishes to seek out our home. This small number seek their families. Except for these small number, we are well. We are home. We are family. You are our, Great Leader.” There may have been fear in the big Archon’s eyes as he finished, but Dante couldn’t be certain.

“So, there are a few of you who want to leave? To go back home to their families?” clarified Dante. Not wanting to mix up what was being requested.

“Yes, Great Leader,” answered the Archon timidly.

“We don’t know where your home is. You don’t even know where your home is. However, if there is somewhere this small number would like to be taken, we will gladly take them there if possible.”

A great weight seemed to evaporate off the large being and his fellow Archon. “We will tell the small number. We will be well.”

“When they have decided on a destination please inform my XO, Mr. Freeman and we will do the best we can. For now I wish to thank you for bringing this request to my attention, but I don’t know your name,” gestured Dante to the Archon who had been speaking.

“I am Frr’grk, Great Leader. It means black rock,” said the Archon gesturing to himself.

“Thank you, Frr’grk,” offered Danted.

“What is your name, Great Leader,” inquired the Archon politely.

“I am Dante Vento…..I don’t know what Dante means, but I think Vento means wind,” said Dante in reply. Frr’grk’s eyes narrowed, his tail twitched, and he lowered himself almost as if crouching as the PDD finished translating, as did all the other Archon too.

“Did….Have I done anything to offend you,” asked Dante nervously.

“No, Great Wind. We are well, Great Wind. You are most generous, Great Wind,” replied Frr’grk curtly.

“Well, it was a pleasure speaking with you,” said Dante in farewell.

“Be well, Great Wind,” offered Frr’grk stiffly.

“To you as well,” replied Dante as he made has hastily an escape as he would without possibly adding more insult to the situation. When he had only gone eight meters the group of Archon began speaking in low voices. Once the Archon were no longer in sight Mayor Bi spoke up.

“That was strange.”

“You’re telling me,” nearly under his breath.

“They’ve never acted that way before,” continued Bi.

“I wonder what I did to insult them,” wondered Dante out loud. Without any forthcoming ideas, he pushed the incident out of his mind before continuing his inspection.

Freeman had informed Dante a few days later that the Archon had given a few possible destinations in which their “small number” would like to be left at. A couple were too far and most were Gax controlled systems. Neither feasible nor wise. However there were two that might be possible. Freeman had directed scouts to both and would inform him when there was more to report.

It was that report that now sat in front of Dante as he waited for the senior staff to assemble. Either system would suffice, but one held other possibilities that may be too good to pass up. He had read the entire report three times and could probably recite it verbatim.

The olive skinned Mr. Maccius was the last to arrive, but once seated the meeting could begin.

“We have much to discuss, so let's get started. Tactical,” began Dante.

“Weapons systems are functioning at 89% efficiency, but we should have that up another 2 or 3% by the end of the week,” answered Maccius.

“Engineering,” continued Dante.

“We are on schedule with replacement ISAH Pods. Today we begin prepping for the final installation of the two nearly complete pods. We hope to have them installed and operational before Deep Night,” reported Mr. Ross.

“Science?”

“We are currently investigating intermittent reading which may indicate complex organic lifeforms in Cerulean’s jovian atmosphere. Findings are currently inconclusive,” explained Ms. Asher. While interesting and extremely rare, complex life in a gas giant wasn’t a threat to their safety.

“Anything else that might need to be brought before this group,” asked Dante. When a reply wasn’t readily forthcoming Dante moved on. “Some of our guest have requested to leave. I have decided to grant that request. Where to take them is the choice at hand. Mr. Freeman?”

“From the list they provided, only two are worth considering,” began Freeman as he stood and pushed some buttons on the table. A holographic representation of a solar system formed above the tables surface. “The first is a sparsely populated system under the control of the Shirisho Federation who are currently at war with the Gax. Tech Level 4, barely. The system is virtually undefended due to its low population and distance from the frontlines. Of the two options, this one has the lowest risk. First Contact will likely go favorably and could yield a potential ally,” here he touched a control and changed the image to a different system.

“The second option, is a densely populated commerce system under the control of an insectoid species called Vzk’t,” Freeman continued.

“Without further study it’s impossible to tell if they are insectoid or arachnoid,” corrected Asher.

“The specifics of their biology are not important to this discussion. According to our guests and what information we could obtain from a distance, the Vzk’t are staunchly independent and neutral. The Shirisho Federation has been trying to get them to join since First Contact. The Gax Imperium has attacked numerous times over a 300 year period and has been beaten back every time. The Vzk’t control only the one system. It’s assumed that they have Ascended as there is trade in hyperjump capable ships. Tech Level 3 approaching Level 4 and there may be psionic elements to their biology. The risks involving this system are substantial. Several species conduct regular business in this system in an official and unofficial capacity. We have little to no information on any of them. However, there are numerous potential benefits, from intelligence to supplies,” finished Freeman.

“Risk and reward, is what it comes down to,” commented Mr. Ross.

“Formal contact with the Shirisho Federation may enflame our already hostile relations with the Gax,” offered Ms. Nyi’kh, Chief Communications Officer and resident First Contact Specialist.

“We are at war with the Gax. The enemy of my enemy is my friend,” countered Mr. Maccius.

“Not officially,” corrected Mr. Relis, Chief Medical Officer, before continuing, “Getting back to the subject at hand, how would we likely be received by the Vzk’t?”

It was Ms. Nyi’kh who spoke up again, “There is no way of knowing for certain. What we do know is that they trade openly with anyone, so long as they abide by their rules. The most notable of these rules, is the forbidding of any open hostilities in their system. So long as we don’t pick any fights, we should be fine.”

“Are we really considering going into such a complex situation with so little information? Limiting contact with other species will ensure our survival. We can’t afford to have any enemies that might prevent us from returning to Union space,” exclaimed the aryan Ms. Reinhet, Chief Navigation Officer.

“We need intel. Burying our heads won’t get us home,” stated Captain Forrest, Marine Commanding Officer.