Vortex incursion, p.4
Vortex Incursion, page 4
“Hold the transport,” Hobar told her scientists. Then she hurried after Ragirt. When she caught up to him, she queried, “You’re headed for the probe, aren’t you? Why?”
“I’ve something that I want to ensure,” Ragirt replied.
“What?” Hobar inquired. The fact that she didn’t receive an answer infuriated her.
Outside the bay, Ragirt received the assistance of a tech to don a suit.
“Ragirt, you’re aware that you can direct one of the bay crew to view whatever it is that you want to see?” Hobar pressed.
Ragirt didn’t reply this time either. Instead, he entered the bay, leaving a frustrated Hobar behind.
The tech who helped Ragirt did his best to melt behind the suit rack and hide from the Imperium appointee’s eyesight.
When the medical techs, who were taking samples from the probe’s interior, saw Ragirt, they gave way.
Ragirt crawled into the probe’s interior on his hands and knees. He turned on his helmet’s lights to carefully examine the seats, the harnesses, and the nearby surfaces. When he was satisfied, he made his way out of the probe, through the isolation tunnel, and onto the deck. Then he gestured to the chief medical officer, who followed him out of the bay.
In the corridor, Hobar closed on the two males as they removed their helmets.
“I saw no evidence of a struggle,” Ragirt said to the medical officer. “Did you find any samples that would contravene that?”
“None, Engineer Ragirt,” the medic replied. “We’ve detected no blood ... Tritium or alien.”
“Nothing untoward?” Ragirt asked.
“There was one unusual sample,” the medic replied. “The same compound was found on each seat where the arms and the heads would rest.”
“What was it?” Ragirt inquired.
“Preliminary tests indicate that it’s some sort of vegetable matter,” the medic replied.
“Why do you suppose that substance was found?” Hobar interjected.
“We’ll run more specific tests in the laboratory, Scientist Hobar,” the medic replied, “but I suspect it’s a dye. Probably something to do with alien vanity.”
“Thank you,” Ragirt replied. Then he quickly stepped out of his suit and headed for his waiting transport.
Hobar was full of questions, and she was torn between interrogating the medic and running after Ragirt. “Males,” she muttered, as she hurried after Ragirt.
“You wanted to know if there was a struggle to take the dissidents, didn’t you?” Hobar declared when she caught Ragirt.
“Yes,” Ragirt replied. “You intimated that the Tritiums might have been subjected to heavy interrogation. While the lack of corroborating evidence in the probe isn’t conclusive, it does indicate that the trio was carefully removed.”
“Why weren’t you surprised when the odd substance was discovered?” Hobar continued.
“It was a thought that I had wanted to confirm,” Ragirt replied.
Ragirt wasn’t about to tell Hobar that it was Korvath’s hovering around the Tritiums that alerted him. When Korvath had retraced his steps out of the probe, he forgot to hide his hands, as he’d been doing, and Ragirt caught sight of his palms stained brown.
“What did you learn?” Hobar pressed. She’d hurried in front of Ragirt and blocked his way to force an answer.
Ragirt was tempted to gurgle at Hobar’s pathetic attempt to pressure him. “If I tell you, will you go away and leave me in peace?” he inquired.
“Maybe,” Hobar replied casually.
Then Ragirt did gurgle and swiftly stepped around Hobar.
Hobar whirled on her splayed feet and ran after Ragirt. “I was rude. I admit it. I wish to know what you learned.”
Without slowing his rapid pace, Ragirt replied, “The medical team selected the younger set of Tritiums to make the passage through the vortex. That’s not who they got. They received the elder trio.”
Hobar’s orbs boggled at Ragirt. “You must report this to Gretren or to the fleet commander,” she demanded.
“To what end?” Ragirt replied.
“To pull off this trickery, other dissidents must have collaborated with the elder Tritiums,” Hobar declared.
“And you think they should be punished for fooling us?” Ragirt asked. Then he abruptly halted and whirled to face Hobar. “Why would you make lives worse for those incarcerated on an isolated rocky planet under Imperium decree?”
When Hobar was caught without an answer, Ragirt pointed a finger at her beak and said, “You lust to hurt individuals you feel keep you from achieving your next honor. It’s an ugly trait.” He spun around and entered his bay, leaving a speechless Hobar behind him.
Within seconds, Hobar’s indignant attitude resurfaced, and she made to follow Ragirt. However, the airlock panel signaled red, which locked the corridor side airlock hatch. She’d missed her chance to vent.
Later in the cycle, Korvath finished his duty rotation and retired to his cabin. He ate quickly, anxious to contact Kreus.
“Hobar registered a complaint with the fleet imperator against the dissident population,” Korvath began when Kreus answered his call.
Kreus replied.
Korvath gurgled. He’d grave concerns for further denial of services to the dissidents, but Kreus’s attitude reminded him of the residents’ present onerous plight.
“They could shut down the air circulation tanks,” Korvath offered, attempting to add to the humorous moment.
Korvath was stunned by the realization that some dissidents had lost all hope and had wanted reprieve from their monotonous existences.
“The fleet commander pushed the idea that if the aliens wrested this system from us that the dissidents would freely offer information on the Imperium to them,” Korvath said.
Kreus ventured.
“You would have the most valuable trove of data to donate,” Korvath pointed out.
Korvath was loath to push the subject further. He was afraid that Kreus would reveal the true depth of resentment and anger among the dissidents. Then he’d be faced with Imperium’s ugly treatment of the suborned races.
To Korvath, suborned was a comfortable term. Other synonyms had occurred to him, such as conquered or dominated, and he’d quickly dismissed them. While they were closer to reality, they disturbed him.
“The fleet commander has asked for suggestions for our fourth attempt,” Korvath said.
“What I want,” Korvath said forcefully, “are ideas that incorporate vortex progress and the absence of dissidents aboard.”
“His emotional strength rises,” Kelter said privately to Kreus.
Kreus replied.
“Yes,” Korvath admitted. “The SADEs wait on the other end of the vortex.”
“How would that work?” Korvath asked.
As Kreus had relayed Kelter’s question, he considered it was opportune to introduce one of the dissident leaders.
“Hello, Korvath. I’m called Kelter.”
Korvath heard the distinct voice of a Gorder. Immediately, he wondered how much of his conversations with Kreus had been shared with others.
Kelter heard Korvath’s sharp intake of breath, and he sympathized with the declinator’s nervous reaction.
“Korvath, rest assured that your discussions with Kreus have been limited to the two of us,” Kelter said.
“Why you?” Korvath asked, hardly mollified by the admission.
“Like any group of individuals who find themselves cast together under horrendous circumstances, survival depends on leaders,” Kelter replied.
“Then you’re one of the dissident leaders,” Korvath surmised.
“That I am,” Kelter responded.
“How many of you are there?” Korvath inquired.
“Seven of us,” Kelter replied. “There were nine, but two have succumbed.”
“To what?” Korvath asked.
“One to age and the other to despondency,” Kelter lamented.
“A dissident committed suicide?” Korvath inquired incredulously.
Then Kelter added, “This ship would sit in space like a rock with no propulsion, and you couldn’t communicate with any others but those on your ship.”
Korvath’s silence extended for a lengthy period, and Kreus sought to return him to a more comfortable subject.
“What’s your idea, Kelter?” Korvath asked, happy to focus on something different.
“What if dissidents were sent again but with a different purpose?” Kelter asked.
“They’d still be proving the shielding’s worth,” Korvath pointed out. “We don’t know if the SADEs rescued a set of dead or dying Tritiums.”
“That’s true, Korvath,” Kelter said, “but can you envision the investigation leaders abandoning their intention to test the vortex with biologicals?”
“No, I can’t, especially not Hobar,” Korvath replied.
“Then consider giving the passengers a dual purpose,” Kelter offered.
“You’re trying to lead me somewhere, and I’m not following,” Korvath complained.
“The probe is prepared to carry a Tritium trio,” Kelter continued. “They would be a logical choice, and you can be assured that Hobar is preparing a proposal to include them.”
“Kreus, do you know this for a fact?” Korvath queried.
Korvath imagined Hobar’s approach to the fourth experiment. She’d choose the most expedient path. That meant making use of the existing probe and the final set of Tritiums. “I can’t argue with you,” he replied. “However, how would she account for the SADEs’ intervention?”
Korvath mused about Kreus’s question. Hobar’s plan would make use of available resources, which would catch the fleet commander’s attention. Then she’d stumble on the subject of the waiting aliens. Or would she? he asked himself.
“Hobar would let others try to defeat her proposal with their objections,” Korvath admitted, “and she’d challenge them to present better proposals.”
“Which wouldn’t be forthcoming and would satisfy Hobar’s purpose,” Kelter finished.
“That’s Hobar. Sometimes it doesn’t matter if she’s successful if she can prove that others aren’t,” Korvath admitted reluctantly. “So, explain your idea in simple terms, Kelter.”
“The final trio of Tritiums can probably be induced to journey inside the probe with the offer of Imperium pardons and the suggestion that they might join their elders on the other side,” Kelter ventured.
“That last part is cold,” Korvath objected.
“Meeting the elders again is a possibility, and the Tritiums will know that. They’ll accept the opportunity rather than live out their lives here,” Kelter replied.
“I’m still waiting to learn how your plan varies from Hobar’s intended proposal,” Korvath remarked in frustration.
“The fleet imperator could make the Tritiums his ambassadors to the SADEs,” Kelter finished.
The connection was quiet. Then Korvath gurgled loudly. When he could control his outburst, he said, “Kelter, you’ll forgive me, but that’s the most ridiculous idea I’ve ever heard.”
Korvath’s orbs blinked several times. That the Helgart governor was asking him to think through the suggestion made him wonder what he’d missed.
“Korvath, think how Imperator Deckus will consider using the Tritiums,” Kelter persisted.
“Certainly not as ambassadors,” Korvath quickly replied. Then the ruse occurred to him. “You want me to trick a fleet imperator.”
“That would catch the fleet commander’s attention,” Korvath admitted.
“Exactly,” Kelter hissed. “You could intimate the concept of ambassadors in a tone that conveys you don’t believe that’s the role the Tritiums will play.”
“More than likely, Imperator Deckus will want a private conversation with me to explore the concept,” Korvath pointed out. “He’ll want me to expound on an idea that never occurred to me. What am I to say?”
“In other words, I should appear innocent and devoid of inspiration. Not a recipe for promotion,” Korvath complained.
“On the contrary, Korvath, we want you to have an honest and forthright conversation with the fleet commander,” Kelter soothed. “This will be Imperator Deckus’s expectation.”
“I’ll do my best,” Korvath said and unceremoniously ended the connection.
Afterward, Kelter inquired of Kreus, “Should we have explained to Korvath that the SADEs probably won’t return the Tritiums?”
4: Experiment Four
Kreus and Kelter’s conversation with Korvath wasn’t entirely based on supposition. Kreus had monitored Hobar’s work on her proposal. He’d perused the final draft and shared it with Kelter.
“It didn’t take the female long to hatch her tawdry plan,” Kelter had commented.
On the morning of the third cycle following the empty probe’s return, Kreus informed Kelter that the conference was starting. The two dissidents prepared to listen to the exchanges.
“I wait to be impressed,” Deckus said, opening the conference.
Hobar kept her beak closed. She was sure that the others would have few or no suggestions, and she was correct. She waited for the silence to drag on long enough to irritate Deckus. When she thought that point had been reached, she said, “I think our next experiment will be easier to initiate than any of us might have thought.”
“Educate us, Appointee Hobar,” Deckus offered magnanimously.
“We’ve the probe,” Hobar explained. “It’s shielded, but we’ve yet to determine if the engineers’ work is sufficient to protect life. Furthermore, the probe is prepared to accept a Tritium set, and there’s one more left on Helgart.”
“All this is easily put together, Hobar,” Deckus replied. “I’m waiting to hear how you’ll make this next trial successful with the aliens waiting on the other end of the vortex.”
Hobar had wanted to hear some praise from Deckus before the obvious objection was voiced, and she was disappointed that none had been forthcoming.
“I’m waiting, Hobar,” Deckus said, his impatience evident.
“We need something to either entice the aliens or frighten them,” Hobar replied. “I’m inclined to use the latter method. What if we sent armed probes to accompany our test probe?”
“Interesting,” Kelter commented privately to Kreus. “The female didn’t include this concept in her drafted proposal.”
“It won’t work,” Ragirt said bluntly. “We’ve heard from Kreus that the aliens linked to our probe, cracked our encryption, and diverted our probe in a surprisingly brief amount of time. If you doubt my conjecture, we can ask Kreus.”
“Korvath, ask Kreus,” Deckus directed.
Korvath directed a bridge officer to connect to Kreus, and he explained the proposal in full as if Kreus hadn’t been listening.
“Is that it?” Korvath inquired, having heard Kreus say there were multiple reasons.
“Try to be clear, Kreus,” Hobar demanded.
“I understand,” Ragirt interjected. “We could watch the armed probes flood out of the vortex at the fleet.”
“Hobar, I see no reason to entertain your proposal,” Deckus said disgustedly.
“Fleet Imperator, I wonder if we can’t take advantage of what the last experiment taught us,” Korvath mused.
“A voice of reason,” Deckus commented. “Speak on, Korvath.”
