Chaotic Futures, page 15
Mila walked beside Salus. They exited a lift into the ship’s grand park, which looked lusher every cycle.
The grand park was filled with residents and crew. When they saw Mila and Salus, they broke into cheers, making a cacophony of sounds.
Salus replied, as he nudged Mila into the waiting throng.
Aboard a Krackus freighter, the final loaded grav palette exited the module and headed for the landing bay.
Resolute, a female, was a dissident who had received an Imperium decree. That was the reason she had insisted on being part of the loading party. As she massed more than two-and-a-half times a human, she easily qualified.
Now Resolute stood in the central corridor that ran the length of the freighter’s spine.
A SADE watched Resolute, who seemed to be deciding whether to follow the grav palette.
Resolute regarded the SADE, and she said, “I’ve a message for the imperator.” Without waiting for a reply, she turned and made her way to the bow.
The SADE followed and linked to Juno and Kelley, sharing what Resolute had said.
Resolute found the imperator on the freighter’s bridge. “I’ve a message for you, Imperator,” she said, pointing a finger at him. “Until your kind came here with your mercenaries, we were a peaceful race. I’ve already learned that my citizens have lost many of their lives protesting your presence. I’ve a mind to show you my disgust for the Krackus by roundly slapping you. However, as one strike would snap your neck, I’m going to refrain.”
At first, the imperator had stood his ground, but as Resolute spoke, he was menaced by her size and anger. “What’s the message?” he managed to squeak out.
“If you or your mercenaries ever return to our world, I will lead my citizens in an effort to eradicate you like the vermin you are, and I don’t care what the cost. You tell your executors that.” Then Resolute returned below to catch a ride planetside to see her family for the first time since her arrest.
That evening Harmonious aired a broadcast she was most proud of producing. Her citizens learned the true nature of the invaders now to be known as the conclave. However, the following evening she would outdo herself. Her guest speaker would be Resolute.
Juno’s flotilla escorted the Krackus freighters and transports out of the system.
When the empire’s ships entered the dark, Juno connected with Captain O’Hara.
Derry connected with Commodore Ticnikrok and Captain Armand to coordinate the flotilla’s flight.
As individuals felt the transition into the dark, Mila queried Juno.
12: Elder Challenge
DEVONA, QUELLER HOME WORLD
BASYAT SYSTEM
A Trident approached the edge of Devona’s atmosphere, and a traveler exited and made for the administration building. Three Quellers, Lemtaca, Ergatisa, and Iltaft had a lengthy report to make to Wymron.
On the flight planetside, they privately shared their thoughts with implants that they’d learned to control well.
For three Quellers who had never left their race’s space, they’d had an eye-opening journey. To their great appreciation, they’d been escorted every step of the way by Juno, Kelley, Gaylene, and Mila before the foursome had sailed for Gaketork’s territory. They’d traveled by quantum gates to Earth and viewed much of the planet’s unique geography.
With their arrival in one of Earth’s domes and through their travels planetside, the Quellers saw as many aliens as were resident on the Liberation. However, the culmination of their adventurous journey came when the conclave president accepted their petition.
However, there was one more hurdle to clear. The elders must ratify the petition for the Queller race to be a member of the conclave.
The trio’s traveler dropped them in the plaza at the front of the admin building. Their return was the subject of much excitement. Every adult Queller knew where they’d gone and why.
Lemtaca suggested that they remain contained while they entered the admin building. He’d reasoned that they shouldn’t project success or failure.
It was rare, but Ergatisa didn’t necessarily agree with Lemtaca, and Iltaft definitely didn’t.
In the end, it was a compromise. Lemtaca and Ergatisa exited the traveler and strode sedately into the admin building without any indication of what had been achieved.
Not so for Iltaft. She walked as if all was right with the universe. Her head was high, and she waved genially to individuals she knew. There was no mistaking what she thought of their trip’s outcome.
Wymron, who’d been alerted to the Trident’s arrival and then the traveler’s landing, watched for signs of success from the trio. When he saw the junior elders, he grunted dismissively. He hadn’t expected them to signal the results of their journey. Then he saw Iltaft, and the noise he made had his admin group staring at him in surprise. They’d rarely heard him so expressive.
By the time the trio made it to Wymron’s office, the senior elder was expansive.
As Lemtaca and Ergatisa had walked ahead of Iltaft, they hadn’t seen what Wymron had observed.
“Success. Appreciation,” Wymron greeted the trio, as he invited them to sit. “Observations?”
When Iltaft nodded appreciatively to Ergatisa, Wymron realized the implants were in use. “Good?” he inquired, tapping his temple.
“Excellent,” Iltaft replied enthusiastically, which pleased Wymron. “There is a great deal to tell about our trip. However, the overarching takeaway is that conclave members are wonderful races to know. They’ve a common cause of peace for all, which Quellers must embrace.”
“Petition?” Wymron asked.
“Submitted. Accepted,” Lemtaca replied.
Wymron received a message on his device from Lemtaca, and he perused the attachments. As there were many documents, he sent the message to his senior admin to disseminate them to others to review for him.
“Elder approval,” Wymron surmised, and he watched three heads nod. “Strategy?” he queried. When he saw the concerned glances among the trio, he motioned for Iltaft to speak.
“We disagree on the approach,” Iltaft said. “The petition took us a lot of time to produce, and we needed the assistance of many individuals at the Helgart outpost station to help us. You can see that the agreement has many parts too, which must be ratified. As we’ve been told, it’s an all-or-nothing situation.”
“Conclusion,” Wymron requested, interrupting Iltaft.
“Even a meeting with the elders lasting all cycle will be too short for them to absorb the various elements of the agreement,” Iltaft said. “Lemtaca and Ergatisa believe the agreement should be sent to the elders to review prior to the meeting. I think that’s a mistake.”
While Wymron considered what had been said, Iltaft glanced occasionally at Lemtaca and Ergatisa. She was uncomfortable disagreeing openly with the junior elders. It occurred to her that this was one of the results of adopting the implants. The exchange of ideas had accelerated with the implants. She was able to understand much more about their ideas and their reasoning processes.
“Preference,” Wymron requested, indicating Iltaft with a hand.
“Use our citizens to generate enthusiasm about joining the conclave. Let them inform their elders of their preferences,” Iltaft said.
When Wymron directed his gaze at the junior elders, Lemtaca said, “Risks. Citizens or elders.”
Wymron considered the visits of Julien, the scouts, and others. The visitors had an affinity for appealing to the general population, as if they had a natural distrust of unresponsive leadership. His decision made, he focused on Iltaft. “Citizens. Promote.” Then he returned to work.
Recognizing their dismissal, the trio rose and exited the office. They collected their baggage, which the SADEs had left with the lobby attendants. Then they ordered transports, promised to meet tomorrow, and wished one another a good evening.
The next morning, Iltaft chose to wait for Lemtaca and Ergatisa on their favorite bench in her building’s courtyard. With her implant, she knew when the pair were close. They sat on either side of her, and they remained quiet.
Iltaft was relieved that Lemtaca shared thoughts with her. She would have hated to have had others hear him speak about civilians in that manner.
When Iltaft was quiet, Lemtaca sent,
Iltaft decided it was time to speak her mind. Before she did, her thoughts leapt back to the time in front of the conclave president. He’d told her that she would make a good representative for the Quellers. Now she had an inkling of those duties. Expressing her opinion for what she believed was best for her race was critical.
Iltaft volunteered.
Lemtaca was taken aback, and Ergatisa grunted his mirth.
Ergatisa sent.
Suddenly, the junior elders grunted nearly uncontrollably, and Iltaft regarded them, as is if they’d lost their reason.
Iltaft’s mouth opened, closed, and then opened again.
Lemtaca sent, choosing to make a rare gesture of laying his hand on her shoulder.
Iltaft took some time to order her thoughts. Her focus had been on the meeting with the junior elders this morning. The conversation’s start had been as upsetting as she’d feared. Then it turned out to be test, but a test of her resolve to be elevated to a position second to Wymron. It had her head spinning.
When Iltaft felt she’d collected her thoughts, she sent,
Lemtaca replied.
Iltaft explained.
This was Iltaft’s problem. It was difficult to imagine why anyone would object to what the conclave could offer the Quellers.
Ergatisa sent.
The trio spent five cycles organizing their presentations, scripting questions for the station director, and recruiting their guests.
Iltaft took responsibility for requesting the station director’s help. She worked on her delivery during the shuttle flight to the station. However, the primary reason she was focused on her upcoming conversation was to take her mind off the shuttle’s bone-jarring lift. We need those travelers so that we stop abusing our citizens, she thought.
It wasn’t long after arriving on the station that Iltaft was standing in the line to take the next shuttle planetside. Her preparations were unnecessary. She no sooner presented the concept than the station director had exclaimed excitedly, “What part can I play?”
After that, it was a furious exchange of ideas, with the director enhancing what Iltaft and the junior elders had planned.
Iltaft left the director’s office with a sense of success. Then she remembered that, if the agreement passed, Wymron would appoint her as the conclave representative. The thought frightened her. Then her mind dwelt on the specifics, and she grinned. As the conclave representative, there would have to be accommodations made for her and that included no more Queller shuttle rides.
Several cycles later, the director cleared his throat, took another sip of a soothing drink, and activated the systemwide broadcast channel. He followed Iltaft’s script for the most part, but he couldn’t help injecting his opinions about the auspiciousness of the opportunity.
The following cycle, the guests arrived aboard the station for the moderated tech panel.
The director introduced the topic. Then he spoke briefly with each guest to acquaint the audience with the individual’s background. Finally, the panel was engaged, and it was a runaway.
The Queller speaking for the negative had definitive ideas about preserving the status quo.
Queslert retorted, “Which status quo would that be? The one before the Krackus destroyed a QASAP ship? Or before the raiding warship appeared on our frontier?”
The negative response was that the Queller way of life would see an enormous upheaval.
“Definitely, Queller lives will change over time,” Queslert replied, “but not as you intimate. For instance, how did you like your shuttle ride to the station?”
“It was the usual discomfort,” the Queller defended.
“How would you like to ride in conclave ships?” Queslert proposed. “A shuttle lifts without you feeling movement. You ride in seats filled with nanites that cradle you and your quills. Better than that, a conclave traveler can take you anywhere in a system without the need to refuel.”
As the panel discussion wore on, the audience could hear the subtle shift. Soon, the Queller defending the negative position was asking Queslert about other conclave tech, and his interest was definitively piqued.
Wymron listened intently to the panel’s presentation. By the time the final topic of Jatouche medical tanks was covered, he was grunting in pleasure.
Of course, Wymron’s senior admin wondered how many more Quellers would need to be hired if their race joined the conclave.
Iltaft met Queslert as he exited the shuttle planetside, and she offered him a ride to his temporary quarters.
After accepting to share Iltaft’s personal transport, Queslert grumbled about Devona’s lack of travelers.
Iltaft grunted her laughter and shared,
Queslert sent contentedly, now that he could use his implant.
Iltaft offered.
