Carinae Sector: 01 - Traders' Scourge - Part 3 - New Shores (24 page)

At the time the two ships had been too pre-occupied by their own damage problems to give much thought to what had actually occurred. Altarebe had briefly asked his father about the large ship. But his father’s response had indicated that he was as mystified as much as he was by their actions as he passed across what little information he knew.

‘Altarebe, the story varies from who is telling it, especially the grievances, but the Sspol and Maveen had been in a shoot on sight relationship for millennia. We best stay well away from that part of galactic affairs.’

So he now knew their name and that they could be potentially lethal, but little else, of the race that flew the massive silver globes. They were the enigmatic Sspol; hydrogen based life forms, which had for many thousands of years been at war with the eternal servants. He did not know of the origin of the war between the Sspol and the Maveen, but he knew that he did not want to be caught up in the middle of it.

Altarebe’s thoughts were interrupted, as he realized that the Sspol globe was now heading towards the icy asteroid he remained hidden behind. He paid careful attention to their approach because he wanted to establish how well his cloaking mechanism was working. As he waited he could feel the itch in his mind return and he considered that the Sspol globe may well be a cause of it. He thought somberly that he would have a lot to talk about when he finally returned to his father’s side.

Altarebe also noted that the Sspol globe was transmitting a low powered signal in his direction and he automatically tuned his interpreter to get a rendition of the message. He then registered that the Sspol globe transmitted a universal neutrality clause and that the weapons systems of the globe were powered down. He finally detected though that the Sspol ship’s powerful shields remained active, before he listened in amazement to the poorly interpreted message.

‘##$$ greetings ancient, we regret and are sorrowful for war with the eternal helpers.’

‘^^%% much death and destruction has marred the galaxy and we seek an ending.’

‘((@@ we promise we will not attack as we have much to talk to you about.’

‘##** what concerns us is the role of a vassal to the heretics.’

Altarebe by habit made the small changes to his interpreter that allowed the removal of the spurious four characters at the start of each sentence, though he hoped he was not causing the interpreter to start dropping information. His worries continued as the message was repeated, and Altarebe noted the characters at the start of each of the four lines and attempted to parse the significance of each one of them.

The intelligent interpreter flashed up a warning on the screen, and he noted the interpreter’s concerns that the tone of each message line was different. He considered the four original lines he had received and sent his additional adjustments to the interpreter based on the four character initial string that he evaluated as emotion with an emphasis context. Altarebe then listened with relief as the full message was replayed again with the changes he had specified.

‘We are heartened we can speak with you, Greeting ancient, we feel real pain and remorse over a matter; we regret and are sorrowful for war with the eternal helpers.’

‘Our race is decimated and damaged, much death and destruction has marred the galaxy and we seek an ending.’

‘We are not aggressive and will not attack; we will not attack as we have much to talk to you about.’

‘A race has taken a dangerous direction; what concerns us is the role of a vassal to the heretics.’

Altarebe considered the messages for several minutes, as he thought again about how powerful the Sspol globe was and how little he knew about them. He also noted that the Sspol globe had now halted several thousand meters from his position, and that the message was being transmitted to him directly. All the while the itch in his mind had increased and he now thought about that interesting observation as well. He was looking into alternatives before he remembered the leap of faith that had led him to earlier trust the Barus trader Omerio.

Altarebe used his race’s inbuilt affinity for language context as he constructed his own four lines of reply. He also ensured that both the cloak was still working and that his engines were now ready to flee.

‘I am heartened I can speak with you, greetings race of Sspol, I feel unease and uncertainty of your presence; your mind tag that tracks me is painful and I still want to talk.’

‘I am from a race decimated and now rare; much death and destruction can be avoided once we ancients craft our new beginning.’

‘I am small and not aggressive; we seek not to be attacked as we listen to learn truth.’

‘A race has done something evil; the Tilmud looses Scourge with Zronte complicit.’

Altarebe paused for a moment and ran the message through his mind again. He wanted to say something about the Voorde as he was not sure Omerio had survived to pass on his message to Barus authorities. But would the Sspol even know or really care about the release of the Voorde scourge on so many worlds? Was he reading between the lines of their messages correctly? He finally sent the message and readied to run for his life.

Altarebe noted something after several moments, as he awaited the powerful active scan and heavy attack from the Sspol globe he was sure would follow. The itch in his mind vanished and the Sspol globe had now ceased transmitting their original message. He noted that the globe still had not powered weapons and now remained stationary as another longer message was received after a significant wait.

‘We apologize and we act in contrition; the mind tag will never be used on your race again.’

‘We both need rebirth and renewal; we seek to redress our folly in warring with the Maveen and assisting in your downfall as the Zronte now offers only their treachery.’

‘We value truth and integrity; we act in contrition to prove integrity and the other ship needs sanctuary elsewhere.’

‘We despise evil and treachery; we would deal in faith with Barus, Cephrit, Deltas Vass and even Vorinne, we would not deal with evil Tilmud, greedy Jerecab and merciless Zronte.’

‘We seek to protect life and remain independent; the work of Maveen is holy despite our differences, and the Traders are not well known but respected.’

We seek to prove our honor; we would cleanse the worlds of Scourge anti-life if found.’

‘We seek to hide truth from evil; the foul Zronte cannot learn of our mission and alliances between new friends should remain hidden.’

Altarebe considered the new message and the third sentence immediately stuck out as something he had to address for his father’s sake. He also sent over the list of worlds Omerio had provided that were now infected by the Voorde. He retained his fears on his father’s safety for long enough to craft another longer message of his own in the context of the Sspol. The ancient was also smart enough at this point to consciously refrain from mentioning his ultimate destination until he could speak with his father.

‘I feel relief and thank your efforts; my mind is free of pain.’

‘I understand and think on your remorse; the Maveen and other ancients are not near and I know of no recent battles between Sspol and Maveen.’

‘I offer advice based on respect; time must be allowed for your message to travel.’

‘I feel concern and time is short; the second ship risks death?’

‘I value good and integrity; the good of vassals is undone by blasphemous acts.’

‘I find the path of evil and report; the Tilmud release Scourge on a list of worlds.’

‘I offer renewal and surprise; I have spoken with lone Barus and remained a secret, I would seek and speak with honored Traders and remain hidden.’

‘I inform and guide on truth; the Maveen are eternal helpers to all and to ancients they are eternal servants.’

‘I seek to hide truth from evil; the foul Zronte and evil Tilmud cannot learn of my mission, and alliances between new friends should remain hidden.’

The Sspol ship remained in motionless in space and Altarebe felt that the crew must be considering his news amongst themselves. Eventually the Sspol continued on with another complex message.

‘We are heartened that you guide us or we you; we have withdrawn from the Maveen and our message of peace is set over time to permit acceptance.’

‘We invite and request for you; to allow us to protect you and take other ship to new sanctuary.’

‘Concern is noted; we leave first to protect the system until ship can flee.’

‘We implore and suggest to you; stay hidden as you seek Maveen, ancients and Traders to pass our message of new peace and renewal to all.’

‘We speak with knowledge and truths, the higher Maveen are now eternal helpers to all and eternal servants to none.’

Altarebe just knew he had to pass on the last piece of news regarding the Maveen to his father, as they had suspected that the Maveen had become different over the millennia’s. He now sent a short message and prepared leave the star system.

‘I am grateful to guide or to be guided; we will seek truths together as allies.’

‘I will talk later as time passes; I remain cloaked and follow you to second ship.’

Altarebe waited for several seconds and the Sspol globe turned and headed away for the original exit point he had selected earlier. In moments he was trailing the large ship at a distance before massive corona of light surrounded the Sspol ship, and it made the hyper drive jump to the next system where his father was located.  He waited for a good half an hour before he followed to minimize the after effects of the larger ship’s mass on hyper space before he also jumped into the next system.

                                                            ***

Steve and the remaining members of his team had wasted no time in reaching the bridge. He had informed Emeria as they walked up the side corridor that he wanted to ensure the last three Earth ships left for the colony. As they walked onto the bridge and stood behind the massive captain’s chair, Emeria asked the communications officer to bring up a view screen showing the Maveen gateway.

Steve watched as the three ships approached the gateway, but they hung back for several minutes as Maveen ships continued to leave Earth for the colony. He turned to Emeria and made another polite request.

‘Emeria, can I please speak with the Maveen Earth probe via your ship?’

Emeria looked at the communications officer, who looked nervously around for Captain Narindestat. Emeria spoke a couple of reassuring sentences in Trader to the nervous officer and in moments Steve was speaking to the Earth probe.

‘Earth probe, we really need those three ships taken across to the colony, and your stream of ships is stopping them entering the gateway.’

The metallic voice of the Earth probe answered as he continued to look at the gateway.

‘We are already behind in our preparations to leave and the Barus fleet will intercept us if they can do so. There is little room in their edicts for them to allow us to leave.’

Steve was however having none of it as he spoke again.

‘Now I will make myself perfectly clear probe, we will not accept the ships being left for the reasons I supplied earlier. Note that my command ship also holds copies of Trader technology that was traded to us. Please hear and consider my plea wisely, as the colony will only suffer harm by the lack of these ships.’

After a moments silence, the screen showed the Maveen ships break off entering the gateway, before the Maveen Earth probe replied again in a resigned manner.

‘We will wait for the three ships, but they are slow to move by our standards. We are also worried that the Barus fleet will attack your world if we remain much longer.’

Steve considered the last comment by the probe, as he watched the three surface ships nose towards the gateway, with one of the frigates now leading and now his ship following along second. He turned from the screen and made yet another request, even as he thanked the communications officer.

‘Well thank you for the conversation. Now I need to speak with Ian Ridge on the quarantine island to the north of us please.’

Steve was speaking in moments with Ian Ridge at the communications tent on Rat Island.

‘Sir, we have run into a problem with the Barus fleet arriving before the Maveen are ready to leave. As a result six of us including myself are going with the Trader ship to the colony. Can we go definitely ahead with what we considered earlier to delay the fleet to give the Traders and the Maveen time to flee?’

The prime minister was noncommittal on his reply and he pointed out the previous problem.

‘Steve that did not pan out well for us last time around, so what do you suggest we do this time around?’

Sanjay had been listening in and called Steve aside with Ian Mitchin for a few moments. Sanjay could see what Steve was getting at, and in few moments Ian gave them both a measured glance and briefly commented.

‘Steve, I think that could actually work. I would only assume that the work has already been done and includes the improvements.’

All three men moved back to the command chair, and Steve wasted no time in speaking to Ian Ridge on Rat Island again.

Ian now listened patiently, as Steve pointed out exactly what he knew of the current tactical situation according to what Captain Narindestat had told him. Steve was now sure that they had earlier overlooked something and Ian soon got the gist of his views.

‘Well Steve, I can ask our friends to go ahead based on what we now know. But I would not guarantee success by any means.’

Steve was ready for this comment and he carefully spoke again.

‘The admiral of the Barus fleet is not to know that and we should take any advantage we have available for us to use. Please just try prime minister, and hopefully I will speak to you again in space before we leave.’

Steve now watched as first one frigate and then his own ship entered the gateway several ship lengths apart. After several minutes the final frigate entered, and the stream of Maveen ships leaving Earth resumed their flight though the gateway. He turned to Emeria and had another request.