Vortex incursion, p.25
Vortex Incursion, page 25
Killian sent.
Dorsa said.
Killian sent.
When news of the impending venture circulated among the fleet’s members, one individual considered the thoughts of Captains Gistamia and Dorsa mya Jaknas.
Lily sent.
Yerli replied.
Lily intimated.
Yerli suddenly intuited the reason for Lily’s link. If it wasn’t for the fact that the Reflection crew comprised battle-tested SADEs, he’d have never entertained Lily’s suggestion. Instead, he thought about how her participation might shift the Krackus perception.
Yerli sent. Then he added links to Kelley and Killian.
The SADEs detected Lily’s ID, communicated with each other, and reached consensus.
Kelley sent.
Z sent.
While Kelley and Killian wondered about Z’s remark, Lily laughed.
Z replied.
Lily asked.
Killian sent.
Lily replied, chuckling.
When the conference ended, Lily considered her options. An idea struck her, and she linked to Dorsa.
Dorsa sent.
Lily sent.
Dorsa surmised.
Lily sent.
Dorsa replied.
Lily proffered.
Dorsa sent. Then he handed off his duties to Gistamia and made for the Kilmer shuttleport.
Lily interrupted the duties of three crew members, told them what she sought, and sent the trio to retrieve material from the bays.
“Think outrageous,” Lily told them. Afterward, she wondered if that was a bright thing to say to young Méridien women.
Lily met Dorsa in the landing bay. “Thank you for coming, Captain,” she said.
Dorsa replied, “This is a welcome relief from my daily cycle’s regimen.” Then he tilted his head, and the avatar’s crown of silver and cream hair flowed from the left side of his head, across his face, and settled gracefully on the other side.
When the pair entered Lily’s cabin, they were met by the Méridien women, who stood smiling by enormous piles of clothing and accessories.
“Enthusiastic assistants,” Dorsa commented, releasing a sharp humorous bark.
“Chief, we’re ready to assimilate whatever the captain suggests,” one of the women said. “However, we’ve an idea that might facilitate the process.”
Lily and Dorsa received a series of faces via implant and comm. It took a moment for Lily to realize that they were her.
“Who’s the artist?” Dorsa said admiringly.
One of the Méridiens raised her hand.
“Well-done,” Dorsa complimented.
“In these images, I look like ... like ...” Lily stammered.
“Aliens,” Dorsa finished. “You wanted to stand out. This would do it. We’ll let the costume hide your human shape.”
The Norloth’s crew worked until evening meal, broke to eat, and returned to their efforts.
In the late evening, Dorsa left for Kilmer, and the Norloth’s crew retired.
In the early morning hours, Lily woke, refreshed herself, and let her crew people into her cabin.
“We start with the makeup, Chief,” Lorelei, the artist, announced.
While Lorelei applied prosthetics to accent some of Lily’s features, the other Méridien women dyed Lily’s hair a brilliant green and swept it back in an austere fashion.
The costume selected by Dorsa augmented the style that the face and the hair presented.
When the Méridien women finished, they stepped back to admire their work. Lorelei sent an image of Lily to Captains Hershey and mya Jaknas, receiving rave reviews.
Lily watched the vid Lorelei shared, as the woman walked in a circle around her.
“I look like an Egonos citizen,” Lily commented.
“The Egonos are now a legitimate member of the conclave,” one of the women pointed out.
“They are after nearly a century of intervention by Outpost Two,” Lily remarked.
Initially, the outpost fleet found the Egonos to have a barbarous nature, which prevented the race from wanting to cooperate with anyone else. However, when the Egonos tribes saw other races receiving the benefits of Omnian technology, a slowly evolving revolution forced tribal leaders to halt the constant internal conflict and embrace a different future.
“Do you approve, Chief?” Lorelei inquired.
“It’s different,” Lily commented.
The more Lily studied the vid that Lorelei had sent, the more she adopted a stance and projected a demeanor that echoed her appearance, which had the crew members laughing.
“Egonos Chief Timmons,” a woman pronounced, and Lily took that as her name for the conference.
“You’ll need an attendant,” Lorelei said. “If you need a touchup, I’ll have to do it.”
“Lorelei, it’ll be dangerous. There’s no need for you to go,” Lily replied, alarmed that Lorelei would suggest it.
“Then, if you’ll give me one or two annuals, I can teach you how to do what I do, Chief,” Lorelei said stubbornly.
Admitting that Lorelei had a point, Lily contacted Kelley and laid out the problem.
“We can’t have our Egonos chief looking ill-prepared to be presented to the Krackus,” Kelley teased. “As well, a human female in uniform will help our appearance. We’ll see the two of you aboard soon.”
Everyone met aboard Dominique’s Trident and briefly discussed the opening details of the operation. Each of them knew that there was no use laying out a plan in its entirety. The Krackus would be sure to derail that.
Lily enjoyed the applause and whistles of the Trident crew when she paraded down its corridors. One of her friends, a rugged crew chief, had sketched a deep bow and intoned, “Welcome, Egonos Chief Timmons. We’re honored by your presence.”
“Good that you know your superior,” Lily shot back, which had both of them laughing.
Lily’s pleasurable moments ended when she eyed her environment suit prior to departure, and she directed an apologetic glance toward Lorelei.
“Not to worry, Chief,” Lorelei said. “The makeup and hair should be fine, but you’ll have to step out of the costume for the transfer.”
Lily stripped down to her unitard and deck boots. Then Lorelei packed the costume and Lily’s uniform in a sealable container for the transfer.
When everyone was ready, the air in the bay was evacuated, and, one by one, each individual crossed some meters of the dark to reach the Reflection.
While Killian made for the anomaly, Lorelei helped Lily dress again.
“I do love the simplicity of wearing my outpost uniform or work coveralls,” Lily grumped, as the rows of pointed shoulder epaulets were applied.
Lorelei’s narrowed eyes regarded Lily, and the chief took the hint. “Hurry with my dressing,” she said forcefully, and Lorelei grinned in approval.
Every conference member was linked to the Reflection’s controller. When the ship entered the anomaly, the SADEs assembled on the bridge. Then Gistamia joined them.
A few minutes later, Gistamia announced solemnly, “Our barbarous one joins us.”
“Lorelei, stand with Killian,” Kelley directed. “Egonos Chief Timmons, would you honor me with your nearness?”
Lily thought the inferences were a bit much, but they did help to remind her of her role.
The rest of the conference members were interspersed so as not to give the appearance that any one race dominated the others.
As the Reflection exited the anomaly, five SADEs, two humans, and one Hyronzy prepared to meet the Krackus.
Killian brought the ship to a halt, and the scouts searched incoming telemetry for the disposition of Krackus ships.
Killian sent.
The image Killian shared showed the Krackus fleet stationed in two different positions. One portion of the fleet wasn’t far from the Reflection. The other ships were near the Helgart outer rim.
Dorsa noted.
Kelley sent.
As chronometers recorded the passage of time, the outpost biologicals chose to rest and enjoy a meal. Nearly a half cycle later, a small ship exited the Krackus fleet near the anomaly.
Bethley remarked.
Trium added.
Killian noted.
It was a tacit understanding between Kelley and Killian as to their duties. Kelley would manage the negotiations. However, in the event the Krackus became aggressive, Killian was responsible for their safety.
The Krackus ship halted at about one point two million kilometers from the Reflection.
Killian sent.
Aboard the inquisitor’s ship, Tarbar inquired, “Imperator Deckus, why aren’t the aliens proceeding as you intimated?”
Deckus regarded Korvath and tipped his head toward Tarbar.
Korvath cleared his throat. “Inquisitor Tarbar, I imagine the SADEs expect Kreus to handle the connection. It would be the polite thing to do.”
Tarbar gurgled. The careful steps the aliens took gave him confidence that his estimations about them were correct.
After an hour had passed, Kelley sent,
Bethley didn’t bother using the backup controller. The technical capabilities of Krackus ships had already proven not to be dangerous. She infiltrated the small ship’s comm systems and established audio and vid links. she sent.
Kelley instructed, and the conference members assumed their prearranged spots.
Then Bethley activated the links, and each side faced the inevitable reactions of intimate first contact — visuals of one another.
Admittedly, both sides had plenty of experience with multiple races, which limited astonishment.
Kelter encapsulated the attitudes of the Helgart community. He said tongue-in-cheek to Kreus, “What a surprise! The visitors look like us.”
“I’m Inquisitor Tarbar. You’ll communicate with me, Kelley. Don’t you have a title?”
Kelley replied.
“Then you have more than one outpost,” Tarbar said, testing how forthcoming Kelley might be.
Kelley asked.
“Unnecessary,” Tarbar replied. He languidly waved behind him. “They are present if I need advice. And your distinct individuals?”
Kelley replied, and he tapped his temple.
Tarbar filed that away as a subject to pursue. He didn’t know if Kelley’s action indicated technology or telepathy.
“What have you done with our citizens, the Tritiums?” Tarbar inquired.
Kelley sent.
“You may argue with my choice of words, but my question still stands,” Tarbar retorted.
Kelley replied.
On Helgart, the incarcerated, who were kept informed by Kreus’s eavesdropping, howled their mirth.
“And we’re to believe you?” Tarbar inquired, his brow folding and his crest rising.
Gistamia sent.
Dorsa urged.
Kelley sent, circling a hand to indicate his group.
“The governor lacks the capability to establish the connections,” Tarbar replied.
Korvath and Ragirt winced at the outright falsehood.
Lily sent.
Every conference individual had caught the reactions behind Tarbar.
“Has the inquisitor made a mistake, and will the visitors know?” Baltart requested of Kreus.
Kreus replied.
Killian sent.
Killian’s words alerted the SADEs, particularly Bethley and Trium, who examined a broader area of space for the movement of Krackus ships.
Tarbar smoothed the back of his crest.
It was an uncharacteristic movement for the inquisitor, and the outpost members took note of it. Then they saw a senior uniformed individual signal surreptitiously to someone out of the vid frame.
Kelley sent.
Killian cut the conference link, while Trium spun the Reflection and made for the anomaly’s mouth.
Bethley declared.
Trium sent, as he halted the Reflection’s acceleration.
Kelley sent,
Lily asked, as she watched the battleships form a tight squadron in front of the anomaly’s mouth.
Killian replied.
Kelley sent,
Killian smiled at his fellow SADE. Then he sent a short message to Trium, who pointed the Reflection’s bow down ecliptic and raced for the dark.
When the scout ship was safely away, Trium set the next coordinates, and the Reflection transited below Helgart and then sailed for the planet.
Bethley sent Trium a set of coordinates, and Trium guided the ship into a lower orbit, placing it in a direct line with a broad array.
Soon, a small portion of the Helgart array focused on the Reflection, which received a comm link.
Kreus sent.
Kelley asked.
“We would have accepted longer sentences to be able to see the exchange,” Kelter said.
Kreus interjected.
Lily couldn’t wait for the SADEs to respond. She sent,
“Your sentiment is appreciated, Crew Chief Lily Timmons,” Kelter said. “I’m sorry to hear that you wear a façade. I rather enjoyed the image. If you could see me, you’d understand.”
Lily sent.
Killian sent to the SADEs.
Kelley requested.
Kreus replied.
“Captain, who were you in the conference?” Kelter asked.
Gistamia replied.
The Reflection’s passengers heard all manner of sounds. It gave them an indication of the variety of incarcerated races and their number. There was a sizable population on the planet.
When the amusement subsided, Kreus sent,
When news of the impending venture circulated among the fleet’s members, one individual considered the thoughts of Captains Gistamia and Dorsa mya Jaknas.
Lily intimated.
Yerli suddenly intuited the reason for Lily’s link. If it wasn’t for the fact that the Reflection crew comprised battle-tested SADEs, he’d have never entertained Lily’s suggestion. Instead, he thought about how her participation might shift the Krackus perception.
The SADEs detected Lily’s ID, communicated with each other, and reached consensus.
While Kelley and Killian wondered about Z’s remark, Lily laughed.
When the conference ended, Lily considered her options. An idea struck her, and she linked to Dorsa.
Dorsa sent.
Lily sent.
Lily sent.
Lily interrupted the duties of three crew members, told them what she sought, and sent the trio to retrieve material from the bays.
“Think outrageous,” Lily told them. Afterward, she wondered if that was a bright thing to say to young Méridien women.
Lily met Dorsa in the landing bay. “Thank you for coming, Captain,” she said.
Dorsa replied, “This is a welcome relief from my daily cycle’s regimen.” Then he tilted his head, and the avatar’s crown of silver and cream hair flowed from the left side of his head, across his face, and settled gracefully on the other side.
When the pair entered Lily’s cabin, they were met by the Méridien women, who stood smiling by enormous piles of clothing and accessories.
“Enthusiastic assistants,” Dorsa commented, releasing a sharp humorous bark.
“Chief, we’re ready to assimilate whatever the captain suggests,” one of the women said. “However, we’ve an idea that might facilitate the process.”
Lily and Dorsa received a series of faces via implant and comm. It took a moment for Lily to realize that they were her.
“Who’s the artist?” Dorsa said admiringly.
One of the Méridiens raised her hand.
“Well-done,” Dorsa complimented.
“In these images, I look like ... like ...” Lily stammered.
“Aliens,” Dorsa finished. “You wanted to stand out. This would do it. We’ll let the costume hide your human shape.”
The Norloth’s crew worked until evening meal, broke to eat, and returned to their efforts.
In the late evening, Dorsa left for Kilmer, and the Norloth’s crew retired.
In the early morning hours, Lily woke, refreshed herself, and let her crew people into her cabin.
“We start with the makeup, Chief,” Lorelei, the artist, announced.
While Lorelei applied prosthetics to accent some of Lily’s features, the other Méridien women dyed Lily’s hair a brilliant green and swept it back in an austere fashion.
The costume selected by Dorsa augmented the style that the face and the hair presented.
When the Méridien women finished, they stepped back to admire their work. Lorelei sent an image of Lily to Captains Hershey and mya Jaknas, receiving rave reviews.
Lily watched the vid Lorelei shared, as the woman walked in a circle around her.
“I look like an Egonos citizen,” Lily commented.
“The Egonos are now a legitimate member of the conclave,” one of the women pointed out.
“They are after nearly a century of intervention by Outpost Two,” Lily remarked.
Initially, the outpost fleet found the Egonos to have a barbarous nature, which prevented the race from wanting to cooperate with anyone else. However, when the Egonos tribes saw other races receiving the benefits of Omnian technology, a slowly evolving revolution forced tribal leaders to halt the constant internal conflict and embrace a different future.
“Do you approve, Chief?” Lorelei inquired.
“It’s different,” Lily commented.
The more Lily studied the vid that Lorelei had sent, the more she adopted a stance and projected a demeanor that echoed her appearance, which had the crew members laughing.
“Egonos Chief Timmons,” a woman pronounced, and Lily took that as her name for the conference.
“You’ll need an attendant,” Lorelei said. “If you need a touchup, I’ll have to do it.”
“Lorelei, it’ll be dangerous. There’s no need for you to go,” Lily replied, alarmed that Lorelei would suggest it.
“Then, if you’ll give me one or two annuals, I can teach you how to do what I do, Chief,” Lorelei said stubbornly.
Admitting that Lorelei had a point, Lily contacted Kelley and laid out the problem.
“We can’t have our Egonos chief looking ill-prepared to be presented to the Krackus,” Kelley teased. “As well, a human female in uniform will help our appearance. We’ll see the two of you aboard soon.”
Everyone met aboard Dominique’s Trident and briefly discussed the opening details of the operation. Each of them knew that there was no use laying out a plan in its entirety. The Krackus would be sure to derail that.
Lily enjoyed the applause and whistles of the Trident crew when she paraded down its corridors. One of her friends, a rugged crew chief, had sketched a deep bow and intoned, “Welcome, Egonos Chief Timmons. We’re honored by your presence.”
“Good that you know your superior,” Lily shot back, which had both of them laughing.
Lily’s pleasurable moments ended when she eyed her environment suit prior to departure, and she directed an apologetic glance toward Lorelei.
“Not to worry, Chief,” Lorelei said. “The makeup and hair should be fine, but you’ll have to step out of the costume for the transfer.”
Lily stripped down to her unitard and deck boots. Then Lorelei packed the costume and Lily’s uniform in a sealable container for the transfer.
When everyone was ready, the air in the bay was evacuated, and, one by one, each individual crossed some meters of the dark to reach the Reflection.
While Killian made for the anomaly, Lorelei helped Lily dress again.
“I do love the simplicity of wearing my outpost uniform or work coveralls,” Lily grumped, as the rows of pointed shoulder epaulets were applied.
Lorelei’s narrowed eyes regarded Lily, and the chief took the hint. “Hurry with my dressing,” she said forcefully, and Lorelei grinned in approval.
Every conference member was linked to the Reflection’s controller. When the ship entered the anomaly, the SADEs assembled on the bridge. Then Gistamia joined them.
A few minutes later, Gistamia announced solemnly, “Our barbarous one joins us.”
“Lorelei, stand with Killian,” Kelley directed. “Egonos Chief Timmons, would you honor me with your nearness?”
Lily thought the inferences were a bit much, but they did help to remind her of her role.
The rest of the conference members were interspersed so as not to give the appearance that any one race dominated the others.
As the Reflection exited the anomaly, five SADEs, two humans, and one Hyronzy prepared to meet the Krackus.
Killian brought the ship to a halt, and the scouts searched incoming telemetry for the disposition of Krackus ships.
The image Killian shared showed the Krackus fleet stationed in two different positions. One portion of the fleet wasn’t far from the Reflection. The other ships were near the Helgart outer rim.
As chronometers recorded the passage of time, the outpost biologicals chose to rest and enjoy a meal. Nearly a half cycle later, a small ship exited the Krackus fleet near the anomaly.
It was a tacit understanding between Kelley and Killian as to their duties. Kelley would manage the negotiations. However, in the event the Krackus became aggressive, Killian was responsible for their safety.
The Krackus ship halted at about one point two million kilometers from the Reflection.
Aboard the inquisitor’s ship, Tarbar inquired, “Imperator Deckus, why aren’t the aliens proceeding as you intimated?”
Deckus regarded Korvath and tipped his head toward Tarbar.
Korvath cleared his throat. “Inquisitor Tarbar, I imagine the SADEs expect Kreus to handle the connection. It would be the polite thing to do.”
Tarbar gurgled. The careful steps the aliens took gave him confidence that his estimations about them were correct.
After an hour had passed, Kelley sent,
Bethley didn’t bother using the backup controller. The technical capabilities of Krackus ships had already proven not to be dangerous. She infiltrated the small ship’s comm systems and established audio and vid links.
Then Bethley activated the links, and each side faced the inevitable reactions of intimate first contact — visuals of one another.
Admittedly, both sides had plenty of experience with multiple races, which limited astonishment.
Kelter encapsulated the attitudes of the Helgart community. He said tongue-in-cheek to Kreus, “What a surprise! The visitors look like us.”
“I’m Inquisitor Tarbar. You’ll communicate with me, Kelley. Don’t you have a title?”
“Then you have more than one outpost,” Tarbar said, testing how forthcoming Kelley might be.
“Unnecessary,” Tarbar replied. He languidly waved behind him. “They are present if I need advice. And your distinct individuals?”
Tarbar filed that away as a subject to pursue. He didn’t know if Kelley’s action indicated technology or telepathy.
“What have you done with our citizens, the Tritiums?” Tarbar inquired.
“You may argue with my choice of words, but my question still stands,” Tarbar retorted.
On Helgart, the incarcerated, who were kept informed by Kreus’s eavesdropping, howled their mirth.
“And we’re to believe you?” Tarbar inquired, his brow folding and his crest rising.
“The governor lacks the capability to establish the connections,” Tarbar replied.
Korvath and Ragirt winced at the outright falsehood.
Every conference individual had caught the reactions behind Tarbar.
“Has the inquisitor made a mistake, and will the visitors know?” Baltart requested of Kreus.
Killian’s words alerted the SADEs, particularly Bethley and Trium, who examined a broader area of space for the movement of Krackus ships.
Tarbar smoothed the back of his crest.
It was an uncharacteristic movement for the inquisitor, and the outpost members took note of it. Then they saw a senior uniformed individual signal surreptitiously to someone out of the vid frame.
Killian cut the conference link, while Trium spun the Reflection and made for the anomaly’s mouth.
Killian smiled at his fellow SADE. Then he sent a short message to Trium, who pointed the Reflection’s bow down ecliptic and raced for the dark.
When the scout ship was safely away, Trium set the next coordinates, and the Reflection transited below Helgart and then sailed for the planet.
Bethley sent Trium a set of coordinates, and Trium guided the ship into a lower orbit, placing it in a direct line with a broad array.
Soon, a small portion of the Helgart array focused on the Reflection, which received a comm link.
“We would have accepted longer sentences to be able to see the exchange,” Kelter said.
Lily couldn’t wait for the SADEs to respond. She sent,
“Your sentiment is appreciated, Crew Chief Lily Timmons,” Kelter said. “I’m sorry to hear that you wear a façade. I rather enjoyed the image. If you could see me, you’d understand.”
Lily sent.
“Captain, who were you in the conference?” Kelter asked.
The Reflection’s passengers heard all manner of sounds. It gave them an indication of the variety of incarcerated races and their number. There was a sizable population on the planet.
When the amusement subsided, Kreus sent,
