The Khruellian Encounter Read online

  They rose from their seats to go back to their duties. Vice Admiral Estes held them for a moment and said, “If the science team thinks it’s safe to do so, see if you can capture a live ‘devil-bat’ to study.”

  Later that shift Annika and Lieutenant Loochen had lunch together while Annika described her experiences on Vajrashila. Several of the senior crew members listened in on their conversation and asked questions of their own.

  One crew member asked her, “Do you think this Yogamundi tree was blocking the effects of the devil-bat or was it using a psyche attack of its own to make them give up the fight?”

  Annika thought about her experience on Vajrashila “That’s a good question, Crawford,” Annika said, “Do you have any ideas how we could determine which method they're using?”

  Chief Petty Officer Crawford was a twenty year veteran of the CSF Space Force. He had more experience than most officers on judging the men and women under his command. “Body language,” he said and explained, “You said these devil-bats have faces of a sort, eyes, mouth, and large, ear-like appendages. Record their facial expression under three or four basic emotional situations like fear, success, and hunting, then see which one they use when their prey is under the protection of the Yogamundi tree.” He waited to see if Annika had a question, but she motioned for him to continue. “If it’s a ‘hunting’ expression, you’ll know the Yogamundi is using a defensive technique. If it’s ‘fear,’ it means the Yogamundi is on the offense.”

  Annika was impressed with the Chief’s idea, and she could see that Lieutenant Loochen was equally impressed. “You just earned a trip planet-side, Chief. You’re now part of my research team.”

  Chief Petty Officer Crawford’s surprise and pleasure at the assignment was evident. He had held back his opinion of the new XO until she could prove herself, but now he knew she dared to accept other peoples’ opinions as valuable and was willing to give them credit for a good idea. “When do we leave, Ma’am?”

  “First light tomorrow,” she said smiling at his boyish enthusiasm. “Believe me you don’t want to land there in the night.”

  Chapter 21

  Alpha Tau Alpha

  Jon was not easily impressed, but after traveling in the Alphans spaceship, he had a new standard of excellence for spaceship design and functionality. It started with the walk through the shimmering tube between the two ships. He started to ask how it worked but stopped himself. He’d leave that for the brains at Gruenwald labs. At the moment he was on sensory overload and probably wouldn’t remember any explanation the Alphans offered.

  Their spaceship was designed for travel, not extended stays. Jon could not detect any living quarters in the discus-shaped vehicle, nor could he detect any instruments, except for 3D vision screens on each of the four quadrants. The spaceship accelerated at an incredible rate without any sensation of motion. In space, CSF ships moved instantaneously from spot to spot, so acceleration was never involved, but under gravity-well drive, which they used in proximity of any planet, the crew was subjected to the laws of motion. The effects of this motion were dampened by their internal gravity, but they still had to exercise care in tight maneuvers. The Alphans had no such concerns. They moved at will at any speed or acceleration without concern for the effects on their fragile-looking bodies. How fast their ships could go was a mystery, but Jon knew they were fast enough and elusive enough to evade any humans effort to capture them in any of their recorded trips to Earth.

  His next sensory experience was the Alphans’ homeworld. Ruuhr had explained they were a society in stasis and his homeworld reflected it. When they entered the atmosphere, the wall projectors were filled with views of garden-like, pastoral landscapes with graceful structures dotted symmetrically throughout the countryside. The word that came to Jon’s mind was, “Orderly.” The shimmering disk approached a cluster of taller buildings and slowed as it neared a large central tower with a landing ledge protruding from the side. They settled silently on it, and when the portal opened, Jon and Mark were treated to a sweeping view of the city and the countryside in the background. The central complex of buildings was composed of interconnected graceful towers, some perhaps a thousand meters tall. No sharp edges were visible anywhere in the building designs including the gracefully thin skyways connecting them. Jon had not seen any evidence of mountains or large bodies of water on their descent from space. He did not know if this was the natural order of the world or the result of a million years of Alphan engineering. He suspected the latter.

  Ruuhr waited patiently while the humans examined their surroundings. Jon understood immediately why the Alphans were so tall and spindly. He estimated the gravity to be seventy percent of Earth Standard. They had discussed their breathing requirements earlier, and Ruuhr had assured them they would be very comfortable breathing his homeworld’s atmosphere. The air was sweet and mild.

  “Welcome to Alpha,” Ruuhr said after the humans turned away from the breath-taking view. “This world is our original home and is now the equivalent of your Newhope. Altogether we occupy six planets in five different star systems.” He didn’t wait for a comment from the two humans but gestured instead toward a curved entrance to the building. The invitation was clear; the sightseeing tour was over, and it was time to get to work.

  The lack of corners or any hard edges carried into the interior. The short, gracefully curved hallway opened, to a round room with a stadium like atmosphere. It was filled with Alphans, apparently waiting for Ruuhr’s arrival with the two humans. In contrast to the luminous grey uniforms worn by Ruuhr and Broyenn, the gathered Alphans were dressed in a wide variety of costumes and colors. The most popular garb resembled a toga-type outfit that reminded Jon of a picture he had seen of the Roman forum. He could detect little difference in their facial features but did notice their inconsistent heights. They rose in unison when the humans entered and bowed slightly when Ruuhr introduced them first in what he supposed was their native language and then again in English. Ruuhr reached into a hidden pocket in his uniform and produced two small earbuds and said, “Wear these, and you will understand everything being said.”

  Jon examined the small device and noted it was molded to fit his ear. He was not surprised; he had witnessed too many similar feats pulled off by Talo to underestimate what an advanced society could do. He inserted the earbud and heard Ruuhr explain to the assembled crowd what he had told the humans about the threat of the Hegemony and the reasons behind the history of Alphan visits to Earth, their mother world. When he said this the majority of the crowd, an estimated two hundred Alphans looked in unison at the two humans as if expecting to see super warriors come to save them. Jon could not tell from their expressions if they were disappointed or impressed by what they saw.

  One member of the assembly, a tall individual, dressed in a red and yellow toga spoke, “Are the Terrestrials aware of the magnitude of the forces aligned against us?”

  Ruuhr gave the tall Alphan a small bow before answering, “They have been given a preliminary description.”

  Jon was not used to being talked about as if he was a ten-year-old child being disciplined for bad behavior. He was the Captain of one of the CSF’s most powerful warships, and he decided it was time to demonstrate that fact. He motioned to Ruuhr that he wanted to speak. The Alphan made an expression Jon couldn’t interpret but assumed it was permission for him to speak. Jon bowed to the assemble Alphans and said in a clear, strong voice, “You already know who we are, our history and how we have grown to encompass ten star systems. You also know that out of necessity we have become a warrior species.” This comment caused a stir among the assembled Alphans. Jon continued, “We use our warrior abilities to defend ourselves. It is true that occasionally in our history certain individuals have been able to convince their followers to conquer in the name of conquest, but you must also be aware that such empires had a finite history, that eventually the conquered people were able to overthrow these types of masters.”

 
Jon saw several small groups engage in private discussions after he made that last statement. It gave him a clue to what might be of concern to the Alphans.

  He said, “Should you fear us if we make an alliance? Only if you attempt to conquer us, then I would be very afraid of what we would do to free ourselves of any tyranny.” That statement ended the individual conversations. All eyes were on him as he continued. “It is evident we have a common enemy and that you have been recruiting an allied force for several thousand years. We, humans, are not yet fully aware of the size of the forces against us, but perhaps with your help, we will begin to understand those dangers. If this hegemony endangers both of us, then perhaps it is time to form an alliance so we can act as a single force.” Jon bowed to the Alphans and waited for their reaction.

  Ruuhr looked at Jon before speaking. “Captain McKinnah is the grandson of the founder of the Human’s Confederation of Independent Planets. His grandfather and his grandmother, Commander Jonathon and Captain Marcia McKinnah have been invited to join the Ankh society at a time of their choosing.”

  This created uproar in the assembly. Excited conversation broke out among the Alphans. Ruuhr explained the reason for the group’s excitement over his announcement, “The Ankhs have visited us twice in our recorded history. Each time they significantly altered our development rate by generous gifts of critical technology. To many Alphans, they are almost a god-like entity.”

  Jon could immediately detect a mood change among the assembly. Mark leaned closer and whispered, “Wow, Captain McKinnah, you sure know how to sweet talk a crowd.”

  Jon whispered back, “It sounds like my grandfather and grandmother have done most of the hard work.”

  Ruuhr let the private discussions go on for a moment before getting the crowd’s attention. He turned to Jon who was now seemed in control of the situation and said, “What would you suggest, Captain McKinnah?”

  Jon recognized this moment as an opportunity to establish the humans as leaders of the defenders. He had no idea of the strategic abilities of these potential allies Ruuhr spoke of, but he was here now in a position to establish humans as one of the primary powers in the defense against the Khruellian Hegemony. Three generations of McKinnah were on his shoulders as he answered, “I believe it is imperative that decision-making representatives of each of the powers in question meet in a common cause to determine the size of the threat and what assets we can marshal together against that threat. I offer our government planet, Newhope as one possible location. If necessary, we will provide transportation for those lacking an effective FTL drive.”

  More discussion ensued. Eventually, the same individual in the red and yellow toga got up and spoke, “your offer is interesting. Some of the allied worlds under discussion are wary of our motives. Perhaps your voice with the authority of the Ankh behind it would make it easier to convince these worlds to join our common cause.”

  Jon wanted to clarify his statement immediately before it became part of the lore surrounding their visit to Alpha Tau Alpha. He said, “You must understand that we are not backed by the Ankh. They are not part of our society other than the contact they had with my grandparents fifty years ago.”

  An Alphan, who identified himself as Kreeg, Leader of the Social Disciplines bowed slightly at Jon’s statement. “We realize that Captain McKinnah, but it is true that your grandparents were the recipient of a great honor that all these species will instantly understand. They are more likely to follow your lead than ours, even though we mean them no harm or ill will.”

  Jon wondered about his statement because he had twice made reference to the possibility of the allied species being suspicious of the Alphans’ motives. Perhaps they had been heavy-handed in their past efforts to prepare these societies to help defend them against the Khruellian Hegemony. He would make that his top concern in his report to Admiral Dexter. After several more questions by other members of the assembly, Ruuhr stepped forward and suggested it was time to review the nature of the Khruellian Hegemony’s tactics with their visitors to give them a better idea of the threat. Jon agreed with his suggestions.

  In the center of the room, a raised platform began to glow. A larger holographic version of the galaxy appeared. The Alphan stepped closer and with a wave of his hand enlarged the portion of the galaxy rim showing the extent of the Khruellian expansion. The combined stars representing the CSF, the five star Alpha Tau Alpha alliance and the thirty-five systems of the potential allies looked decidedly puny next to the massive extent of the hundred thousand, occupied star systems of the hegemony. Jon took in the vast array and thought, “How the hell are we going to beat this gang of thugs?”

  Ruuhr pointed to a star in the center of the Khruellian cluster, and it expanded rapidly until a single planet filled the area above the table. “This is Kruel, the homeworld of the Hegemony.” He pointed again, and a particular area at the base of a massive mountain grew in size until a huge complex filled the holograph. “This is the residence and governing palace of Karsolomal The Absolute, the latest executor of the Legend.”

  Jon’s interest sharpened. “What is the ‘Legend’?” he asked.

  Ruuhr stared at the extensive complex a moment longer before he turned and look at Jon. “Forty thousand of your Earth years ago, the ancestor of the current Executor was given a command by their gods to rule all they saw. He took it literally and set out to conquer his world, which he accomplished in twenty solar cycles. Within three generations, his heirs had developed an adequate FTL drive that allowed them to conquer their neighboring star systems. Since then succeeding generations of Absolutes have continued fulfilling the Legend, as they came to call it until now they threaten our worlds.” The tall Alphans paused for a second and then added, “And eventually, your worlds.” The sweep of his hand included the assembly and the two humans. The meaning was clear.

  Jon recalled the many stories his father had told him about the critical weakness of the Muhyba’s FTL drive, the need to stop and recharge after an interstellar jump of any great distance. It was that weakness that eventually gave the CSF the upper hand in combat. He wondered if the Khruellian Hegemony suffered from the same weakness. Evidence suggested not, judging from the extent of their empire.

  “Is their FTL drive as good as ours or yours,” he asked Ruuhr.

  “Not as good, but very effective,” Ruuhr answered. “We recognize your FTL drive from our encounters with the Ankh. There is none better since it does not require a massive power source. Our system is similar, but not the same. The Khruellians system is very good, but depends on a massive power surge to punch, a hole in the fabric of space, which is how most of the FTL drives in the galaxy work.”

  Jon nodded his understanding. “And that we can detect,” he thought, deciding not to share that tidbit of information with the Alphans just yet. “What about weapons?” he asked, trying to get a better picture of the forces arrayed against them. Any allied force would have to have some strategic advantage in the face of such a massive force.

  The assembled Alphans were giving their full attention to the exchange between Jon and Ruuhr. If Jon guessed correctly, they were engrossed from an academic point of view, not as warriors weighing their opponents. “They had better change that attitude,” Jon thought. If everything the Alphans had said were true, they would soon be required to pick up swords to defend themselves. They were wrong if they thought other species could or would do all the fighting, for them.

  Ruuhr waved his hand at the display, and an image of a spaceship appeared. It was not built for beauty or flying through an atmosphere. It was box-like with numerous devices attached as if added on as an afterthought. Jon could only speculate that those attachments were weapons. Ruuhr confirmed his speculations. “This is a typical Khruellian warship. It is approximately three hundred Earth-meters in length.” He pointed toward the odd collection of attachments scattered around the structure and said, “These are energy beam weapons, their principal means of attack. They have n
o appreciable defense weapons because for ten thousand years they have not met an enemy who threatened them enough to be concerned about defense.”

  Jon was intrigued. Here was an enemy so confident of success they did bother to carry defensive weapons. Of course, their attack weapons could be used to defend themselves, but normally, attack weapons were deliberate and slower than defense weapons, which were designed to react quickly to the unexpected. “How old is this ship design?” he asked Ruuhr.

  “It has not changed in fifteen thousand Earth-years,” he answered.

  Mark Russell had not said a word all through the exchange. Like the gathered Alphans he had sat and listened to Jon’s questions and Ruuhr’s glib answers. “How do you know all this?” he asked suddenly, causing every Alphan to turn in unison and stare at him.

  Ruuhr bowed slightly to the new questioner and answered in the same calm voice. “As I said earlier, the Khruellians have an excellent FTL drive, but not as effective as ours. We have been able to scout their activities with relative impunity.”

  Mark wasn’t through. Like Jon, he was getting the impression that the Alphans expected all the other species they had been visiting and tampering with for thousands of years to shed all the blood in the coming conflict. “How long have you been watching them expand their empire?”

  It was a sign of how conditioned the Alphans were to being an observer species when Ruuhr answered without any apologies or explanations, “For about forty thousand Earth-years.”

  Jon stepped in and asked the next question, “In all that time, did you ever take any action to stop the Khruellians’ expansion?”

  Ruuhr answered in a tone that seemed to excuse the Alphans for lack of action. “It is not in our nature to bear arms.”