Imperium's Demise, page 33
Peña shared.
Sven queried.
Merlie transited above Harlest and shot past a peacekeeper. By the time the warship’s engines came to life, the Storyteller was halfway to the populated planet. As the monstrous battleship turned toward the liner, Merlie was diving through the planet’s high orbit.
The peacekeeper never did advance in system. Perhaps, Peña’s gambit was proven correct. Then again, a smart imperator might have recognized that the conclave ship was a passenger vessel.
Peña assigned the ship’s command to a sister. Then she gathered Sven, Merlie, and another sister, Ellyz, and made for a traveler.
Kreus had shared relative coordinates for the planet’s surface. The sisters had matched key topographical features to Kreus’s maps, which provided the location for the world manager’s building. This was Merlie’s target. When she approached the planet, she dropped rapidly through dense dark clouds to reach the building.
Sven grinned. It appeared that Peña intended to be a worthy protagonist in the admiral’s operation.
When Merlie hovered above the building’s immense plaza, Ellyz slipped into the pilot’s seat.
A check of the plaza had Sven groaning.
Ellyz landed the ship and joined Merlie at the hatch. The pair preceded Peña and Sven outside.
In a loud voice, Peña said to the assembled agents who were brandishing their batons, “You have one chance to allow us to enter the building peacefully. If you make way, none of you will be injured.”
The senior agent saw only one figure that concerned him. It was a large male. The three females were slender. In his estimation, they didn’t represent a challenge.
While Peña waited, the senior agent called for the group to advance and put the invaders down.
Unfortunately, the attempt didn’t work exactly as planned.
As fast as the two sisters could move, they weren’t able to stop the rush of sixty agents.
Merlie and Ellyz had started at the edges of the agents’ semicircle. That enabled the middle, more than thirty agents, to target Peña and Sven. At that point, Peña hoped Sven could protect himself, while she did her best to put down as many attackers as possible.
Sven snatched a baton from the first agent to reach him. Then he used it for his own defense. He was forced to retreat, as he flailed at the multiple batons poked at him. Suddenly, his last attackers were on the plaza’s stones still holding their batons. Three sisters stood over them, daring them to move.
Slowly, the agents shut down their batons and rolled them aside. Across the plaza, the squawks and moans of the injured agents could be heard.
“You,” Peña said, toeing an agent in the side. “Get up and call your medical services.”
When the agent called and reached the med department, he requested their services on the plaza. Obviously, someone asked him how many were hurt. The agent gazed at the results of the mêlée and responded, “Almost all of us.”
Peña located the senior agent, who looked a little worse for wear, and said, “You had an opportunity and chose not to take it.” Then she leaned close to the agent’s tympanum and whispered softly. “Don’t ever raise a baton again to the male with me. You won’t like the consequences.”
Ellyz returned to the traveler, and the trio made for the building’s entrance.
From peripheral sensors, Peña regarded Sven. He was holding the baton he’d confiscated from his first attacker. The numerous dents in its shaft indicated the intensity of his defense. She was calmed by the grin Sven wore.
At the entrance, doors were opened for them, and Krackus stepped quickly aside.
“Take us to the world manager’s office,” Peña instructed three lobby attendants.
“Take them,” a senior staffer said, delegating the job.
An attendant, who appeared to have just completed her education, hurried ahead of the trio for a bank of elevators.
“Will the conclave take retribution against Harlest?” the attendant nervously queried.
“This is a goodwill visit,” Merlie returned. “We’re here to negotiate an agreement to supply products for which your planet is short.”
The attendant’s beak fell open. “Why would you do this?” she inquired.
“We don’t want Krackus populations to suffer for the executors’ audacity,” Merlie replied.
“I’ve listened to Tarbar’s broadcasts,” the attendant said conspiratorially. “Are they true?”
“Unfortunately for Krackus citizens, they are,” Peña affirmed.
The young attendant ducked her head and softly squawked. “We should be punished for our misdeeds.”
“Lift your beak, young one,” Peña directed. “When you learn the truth, you can make better decisions about the future. The executors have not given you that option. The blame is on them.”
The car arrived on the top admin level, and the attendant led the visitors down a long corridor to an anteroom.
When the manager’s assistant spotted the group, he immediately signaled the next door, which opened into a sumptuous space.
The world manager eyed the two females and the huge male, who held a battered stun baton. The baton looked like a small stick in his hand. Having watched the mêlée in the plaza, he knew he faced SADEs and a human.
“I apologize for your poor welcome,” the manager said, rising from behind his desk. “It’s protocol for the security commander to respond as he did. Unfortunately, I was powerless to overrule him.”
“Apology accepted,” Peña replied.
Sven stepped forward and laid the battered stun baton on the manager’s desk. “Feel free to return this one to the commander,” he said.
The manager gurgled at the thought of handing it to the security commander. Then he gestured to the conference table and said, “I hope we can talk.”
When everyone was seated, the manager said, “Perhaps, I can save us some time, if I can anticipate the reason you’re here. Word has reached me of an agreement made between the giant SADEs and the Jegstrat world manager.”
“The SADEs you reference are called Miranda and Z,” Sven interjected. “My companions are sisters, a form of SADE. Beside me is Peña. On her other side is Merlie. My name is Sven Nilsson.”
“The three of you are from the Axis Crossing worlds, are you not?” the manager inquired.
“We are,” Peña replied. “You’re well informed.”
“A quarter ago, Presiding Executor Gaketork invited world managers to make presentations to the assembly about product shortages and what the future held for our worlds,” the manager replied. “I was proud to be one of the managers who attended the event.”
“How did the executors react to your presentations?” Merlie inquired.
“As world managers, we wouldn’t know these things,” the manager replied, shrugging. “However, I can tell you that nothing changed. There were fewer deliveries, and we started austerity measures.”
“If you’ve received messages from the Jegstrat world manager, then you know why we’re here,” Peña said. “Were there details with the message, such as an agreement?”
“None,” the manager replied. Then his device hummed, and he glanced at it. There was no sender ID.
“I sent it,” Merlie explained. “That’s the agreement.”
The manager eagerly opened it and perused the contract.
When the manager gurgled, the trio figured that he’d reached the part about credit transfers to SADEs. This meant the executors would receive nothing from this planet either.
The manager’s orbs were shining brightly when he looked up. “I would be happy to implement this agreement,” he said. “When do you expect the first deliveries?”
“Soon,” Peña replied. “The first shipments will focus on food products. You do realize that this agreement will encompass all freighter shipments to this planet?”
“I read that, but it will be necessary to enforce that action,” the manager replied. “I issued a request to allow your liner to approach, but the commandant may have other thoughts.”
“This is why our freighters are accompanied by Trident squadrons,” Merlie pointed out.
“I suppose there’s no chance to allow visitors on your warships?” the manager queried.
“An odd request,” Sven remarked.
“My apologies, Sven,” the manager quickly replied. “My eldest fledgling, Lamvert, will be completing his advanced university degree this annual. He’s been researching future engineering techniques, and he’s fascinated by your ships. I hear about your technological prowess all the time. Fact is, though, I’ve no idea where he gets his information.”
“There may be an opportunity, providing your fleet imperator cooperates,” Peña said.
The trio could see the gleam in the manager’s orbs. They had no doubt that the peacekeeper commander would receive a terse message requesting he cooperate with the conclave representatives. It was the desire of a parent to make an extraordinary gift to his fledgling.
“We’ll retire to our liner and await the arrival of our ships, Manager,” Peña finished. “If you have any concerns or questions, use the link you’ve been provided. A sister will always be available.”
The manager’s device hummed, as the trio rose and exited his office.
The young attendant from the lobby had waited at the elevator for the visitors, and she called a car for them. When the car arrived, she quickly proceeded to enter before them.
“Do we anticipate that you’ve another question?” Merlie asked the staffer.
“You found our world manager cooperative, didn’t you?” the attendant inquired.
“We did,” Merlie allowed. “Why do you ask?”
“It’s good for the population,” the attendant replied promptly.
Sven regarded the young female, who kept her orbs on the car’s floor counter. “Now would you like to tell us the real reason for your concern?” he asked.
The attendant shrugged her shoulders, as if it weren’t a big deal. Then she regarded the huge male who continued to stare at her. “I’m dating the world manager’s eldest fledgling,” she said.
“This would be the one who knows about conclave technology?” Sven queried.
The youthful attendant was caught with an open beak.
“Was it supposed to be a secret?” Sven asked kindly.
“It might be forbidden,” the attendant replied. Her orbs alternated between glancing up at Sven and eyeing the car’s controls.
“Is it expressly forbidden?” Sven inquired.
“That’s unknown, but security would certainly confiscate the data,” the attendant responded.
The car reached the lobby level. As the doors opened, the foursome stepped into the lobby.
“What’s your name?” Sven asked.
“Hofdart,” the attendant returned.
“And your friend?” Sven pursued.
“He’s Lamvert. He won’t be in trouble, will he?” Hofdart asked fearfully.
“Certainly not,” Sven soothed. “But we’d be curious to know more about your friend’s data source. Would you like a ride in our ship to visit him?”
Initially, Hofdart’s orbs gleamed. Then they grew apprehensive, as she considered the ramifications of such an action.
Peña initiated a link to the world manager. Then she used Merlie to provide the manager’s vocal responses.
The world manager heard his device hum. An icon of a conclave ship was lit. “Hello,” he said, after tapping the icon.
“This is Peña. We’re having a delightful conversation with Hofdart. After her and your comments, we’re more than a little curious about Lamvert’s source of information about conclave tech. Do you mind if we pay him a visit?”
As a parent, the manager had reservations. He heard Hofdart say, “Our visitors said that Lamvert isn’t in any trouble, and I can show them the way.”
“Are you comfortable with that, Hofdart?” the manager asked.
Then the manager heard gurgling. “What’s humorous, Hofdart?” he asked.
“I heard the conversation from two different sources,” Hofdart explained. “Your voice came out of the other sister. Their technological capabilities are amazing.”
The world manager was comforted by Hofdart’s amusement. “Could I share in your discussion with Lamvert?” he asked.
“Certainly,” Peña replied and ended the manager’s link.
Now that Merlie was within range of the traveler, she connected to Ellyz and sent,
As Hofdart approached the traveler, she inquired, “I love the colors. Do they have any meaning?”
“They’re the result of a biological process, a natural outcome of Swei Swee matrons,” Peña explained.
Hofdart gurgled again. “You ask a question, and you get an answer. But the answer requires more questions,” she said.
The foursome approached the hatch steps, and Hofdart stopped and stared. “There aren’t any view plates,” she objected. “How do I direct you?”
Merlie’s holo-vid lit, and she displayed the traveler controller’s forward view. “You direct us by manipulating this holo-vid’s view.”
“Lamvert is going to be so jealous,” Hofdart said. Then she eyed the traveler’s steps.
“May I assist you?” Sven asked, as he bent down and crooked his arm.
Hofdart thought it the most inviting male request she’d ever received. She perched on his forearm and braced herself by clutching his upper arm. It was like sitting on a tree branch and holding on to the trunk. Then they rose up the steps as if in an elevator car. When she was lowered to the ship’s deck, she was loath to get off.
Peña replied.
Hofdart skipped to the front of the main cabin and made herself comfortable.
When the trio was settled around Hofdart, Merlie offered her holo-vid to the Krackus female. Before she could explain its use, Hofdart’s delicately feathered hands were shifting the view.
“Lamvert told me about these things,” Hofdart said happily. “I never thought I’d get to see one, much less play with it.”
“Your friend must know a lot about our tech,” Sven commented.
While Hofdart oriented the view and searched in the needed direction, she said, “When Lamvert first started talking about your tech, my friends thought he was telling stories. So, he stopped talking about it. It took some convincing by me to get him to tell me.”
“What made you sure that he was telling you the truth?” Peña inquired.
Hofdart paused and regarded the sister. “That’s something that I promised to never tell. It’s a secret that Lamvert must share with you.”
The flight was a short one to Lamvert’s university.
Hofdart focused the display on a building. “His lab is in there,” she said. “I can go get him for you.”
The university students and professors had stopped to stare at the ship that hovered above them. Then the professors directed the students to step back, and Ellyz settled the traveler on a broad expanse of campus pavement.
“I could use some more help with the steps,” Hofdart said coyly, as she looked in Sven’s direction.
Sven grinned and offered his arm.
Hofdart exuded an air of royal satisfaction.
Merlie shared the imagery with the sisters, who clamored for more interactions between Sven and Hofdart.
On the ground, Hofdart inquired, “Would you like to come up?”
Staring around at the open beaks and bulging orbs, Sven replied, “I think I’ve disturbed the campus enough.”
“Understood,” Hofdart replied. Then she ran toward the building.
As Sven returned to his seat, Merlie said in a voice that imitated Hofdart, “I would like help navigating the steps too.”
Immediately, Peña quipped, “I’m the only sister who rides,” which generated raucous noise from the Storyteller sisters.
When Hofdart returned, she had to pull on Lamvert’s arm to haul him toward the ship. It wasn’t fear that halted his steps. It was awe, and he wanted to take in the hull’s shape.
When Lamvert got close to the traveler, he stopped to run his hands across the surface. “Swei Swee origin,” he said, which echoed the words that Hofdart had heard from the visitors.
