The Khruellian Encounter Read online

  A rush of many outside thoughts crashed in on them. “The Vajrashilans,” Jon thought, but then he detected another presence, not a sentient mind, but an awareness of self, a probing exploration. After a moment it subsided, and then the other minds were shut off. Talo had re-extended his shield. Jon discovered Annika was squeezing his hand. He rather liked it.

  The Cleric-General looked at Talo and said, “The Yogamundi recognizes you from the past. If I may ask, how old are you?”

  Jon was curious to see if Talo would give his age. Only a very small number of people knew the true facts.

  “In Earth terms, I am six thousand years old,” Talo said. “The Yogamundi recognizes my kind, but not me personally.”

  Talo’s answer was met with silence. That length of lifespan was unheard of among sentient beings, and humans could not fully comprehend the implications of living that long. Jon smiled to himself thinking it was probably best they hadn’t asked Talo how much longer he would function. Twelve thousand years was an incomprehensible lifespan. Jon had grown up with the knowledge, so for him, it was a childhood knowledge he accepted as normal.

  Jon noticed the number of people sitting around the stadium. His curious inspection prompted an explanation from the Cleric-General. “They are here to find new tools to fight the increased resistance we encounter as we expand our croplands.”

  It was Annika’s turn to be surprised. “Does the Yogamundi talk to them?”

  “No, the Yogamundi is not sentient in the strictest sense,” the Cleric-General explained. “But it does have the ability to sense the type of threat the supplicants are facing and then adjust their ‘mental sword’ to combat the new threat.”

  After a few moments contemplating the massive tree, the party turned to go. The rest of the day was devoted to establishing a protocol for future visits. Great care would have to be taken on both sides. Unprotected humans would not last long on the planet, and the Vajrashilans would be bombarded by unshielded minds if they visited the CSF. Jon promised the Cleric-General he would turn the problem over to the labs on Gruenwald. They should be able to develop a portable shield that would protect both parties.

  At the end of the day, they returned to their landing site. A sizable crowd was studying the small craft with its mysterious silent drive. Even with his mental shield in place, Talo could sense their curiosity about how the small ship landed and flew. He felt certain it would be the subject of future trade negotiations. They said their goodbyes with a promise to return as soon as possible with a delegation. The small ship departed from the most interesting place Jon had ever visited. He was certain Annika shared his impressions.

  Chapter 13

  Newhope, CSF Space Center

  As soon as CSF Islandia II appeared in orbit around Newhope, she received a flood of delayed mail and request for information. The highest priority message was from Admiral Dexter requesting that he and Commander Masterson join him Admiral Manda at his office at their earliest convenience, which meant as soon as their feet touched the ground. Several of the packets were for Annika which she read with a tiny sense of dismay. She was ordered to return to Earth immediately upon her arrival at Newhope. The second message emphasized the word “Immediately.” Her unformulated plan to see what might develop between her and Captain McKinnah was effectively on hold.

  Annika took her messages and went to the Command Center to watch the landing procedures. She was not sure what was going to happen to her when she informed Secretary Gavito she had been unsuccessful in obtaining any of the information he had been asked her to get by any means. The Secretary hadn’t explained what he meant by “any means,” but the implication had been clear. In reality, she had discovered everything the Secretary had asked her to learn; that the IS-Drive had come from an alien source and the alien avatar, Talo had helped the Islandian scientists at their lab in Gruenwald develop a practical version of the drive for human use. Those same scientists, with Talo’s help, had created a functioning android to house a mobile version of the alien avatar.

  Somewhere during this voyage of discovery Annika had made the decision not to share that information with the Secretary of Future Human Welfare. At the same time, she had made another decision; to cast her lot with the CSF, and hopefully with Captain Jonathon McKinnah, III. Whether he had any interest in her personally or professionally remained to be seen.

  Before she left Earth, the implied promise had been she would get a frigate command, similar to Islandia II if she successfully completed her mission. It had been her career ambition to achieve flag rank and command a capital ship in the Terrestrial Space Force. Now it seemed unimportant. Still, she worried about her future and how she was going to get back to the CSF Space Force.

  As soon as Jon had turned the ship over to Lieutenant Burns, Annika handed him her two messages. She thought she saw a brief flash of regret crossed his face, but she couldn’t be certain. “Perhaps I’m reading too much into a little chemistry,” she thought.

  Jon looked at her and said, “Well, Commander Masterson, that seems plain enough. Will we see you again at any time in the future?”

  Annika blocked out any desire to put more meaning into his question than it appeared to have, but she could not keep the regret out of her voice when she said, “Probably not, Captain McKinnah. After all, I did fail in my assignment. Failure is not usually rewarded in the Terran Space Force with a command of your own.”

  Jon stared at her for a moment, this time unable to keep his own disappointment hidden. Finally, he said, “Perhaps you should consider yourself a success for starting the process of integrating the Terran Space Force into the CSF.”

  Annika smiled at his efforts to be positive, but she knew what was in store for her. “I’m not so sure my superiors will see it that way, Captain McKinnah, but thanks for the thought. I’d better get my gear together.” She turned to go.

  “Don’t be too sure about that, Annika,” Jon said.

  She looked back at him and saw an impish smile on his voice. “What the hell does that mean?” she thought as she made her way to her wardroom. Five minutes later there was a soft knock on her door. Thinking it might be Jon, she hurried to open it. It was Talo.

  “May I come in, Commander Masterson?” the big android said.

  Annika did not know what to expect. She gestured for him to enter and Talo squeezed himself through the door and sat on one-quarter of her bed. It was a testament to the ship’s sturdy construction that it didn’t break under his weight.

  Talo didn’t waste any time. “Commander Masterson, you should know that the CSF and the McKinnahs are grateful for your willingness to accept the CSF’s view of the future. Marcia McKinnah, in particular, was impressed with your grace in a difficult situation and thought you would make a good match for her grandson.”

  Talo saw the shock on her face and smiled before continuing, “Do not be surprised at my bluntness, Commander Masterson. I find that humans tend to operate much better when they have the unvarnished truth. I would not be too worried about your career in the TSF. Captain McKinnah’s aunt, Samantha McKinnah-Parker is the CSF Ambassador to Earth. She will have a great deal to say to your superiors about your short tour with the CSF.” Talo got up from the bed and made his way out without saying another word.

  Annika sat down on the bed just vacated by the android. “Who are these people?” she thought. “What am I getting myself into?” She sat for a minute thinking over the situation and then smiled broadly, having come to a conclusion. “Captain McKinnah, I hope you’re ready for a wild ride.”

  Fifteen minutes later Islandia II landed in her slot. A personnel carrier was waiting for those who were scheduled to disembark. The rest of the crew would remain on board until relieved of duty. Jon, Annika, and Talo were taken by a smaller shuttle directly to the command center. Neither of them said anything, but just as they arrived, Jon briefly put his hand on top of hers. He winked and withdrew his hand.

  To Annika, it was as powerful a
statement and commitment as she could imagine. She smiled at him wanting very much to drag him off to her room at the BOQ. It would have to wait. Admiral Dexter and Admiral Manda were standing by the window when the trio was admitted to the Admiral’s office.

  “Captain McKinnah, Talo, Commander Masterson, welcome back,” Admiral Dexter said, obviously glad they had returned safely. Admiral Manda and I are anxious to hear your reports.”

  Jon took the lead and gave a detailed accounting of their mission. Annika listened carefully, but could not find anything to add to his version of events. Talo related his opinion of the information he gathered from eavesdropping on the Vajrashilans’ mental conversations.

  “Do you have anything to add, Commander Masterson?” Admiral Dexter asked.

  She thought for a moment and said, “Only that they would be a viable candidate for admission to the CSF, Admiral Dexter.”

  “They certainly qualify,” the admiral said. “Anything else?”

  A thought had been running through her mind as she had listened to Jon relate the story of their meeting with the Cleric-General and the Yogamundi. “I think it would be interesting to study the Yogamundi for defense techniques. After all, it has been able to overcome every enemy for five million years.”

  In the silence that followed her suggestion, she could see that she had presented them with a perspective they hadn’t considered.

  “Very good, Commander,” Admiral Dexter said. “That’s an excellent suggestion.” He leaned back in his chair and said. “I know you are under orders to return to Earth immediately, Commander, but I’m afraid the ship that was scheduled to leave for Earth this afternoon is going to be delayed until tomorrow to wait for our Ambassador to arrive from Islandia. It will depart tomorrow morning. Perhaps you and Captain McKinnah can spend a few hours together this evening developing your idea. Is that agreeable to you?”

  It took all of Annika’s willpower to keep from shouting “Yes!” She composed herself and said, “If Captain McKinnah can spare the time, I’ll be pleased to work with him on a proposal.”

  The Admiral looked at Jon who said, “I’m at your service, Sir. I have nothing pending this evening.” He didn’t look at Annika when he said it.

  “Excellent, we look forward to hearing what your suggestions will be.” The Admiral rose from his chair signaling the meeting was adjourned.

  After the trio left, Admiral Manda stayed and went over a few items with her boss. They had known and worked with each other for twenty-five years, and when the circumstances allowed, they relaxed and spoke like old friends.

  Madeline put her coffee cup down when they were through and said, “Max, what’s this nonsense about delaying a capital ship’s scheduled departure for a diplomat? You’ve never done that in the past.”

  Admiral Dexter laughed heartily. “Let’s just say an important old friend asked me to do just that.”

  The Vice Admiral saw the twinkle in his eyes and decided she didn’t need to know anymore. He was her boss after all.

  Later that night Jon asked Annika, “Do you think we should do any more work on your idea?”

  She pursed her lips and said, “Probably, Captain McKinnah, but it will be difficult to do with you lying on top of me like this.”

  Jon grinned and kissed her. “I think you’re right about that. Should I get off?”

  “If you do, you’ll be talking with a squeaky voice for the foreseeable future,” she said sweetly. “Now get busy on your current assignment.”

  “Yes ma’am,” Jon said and started moving again.

  Much later after a much-needed nap, Annika said, “I think your grandmother is trying to marry us off.”

  Jon laughed, “Hah, you don’t know the half of it, Annika. It appears to have blossomed into a full-blown McKinnah conspiracy.”

  She was curious, “Has this ever happened before?”

  “Nope,” he said, pausing to kiss her lovely breast. “You’re the one and only Captain who has passed muster.”

  “What about Lieutenants?” she asked dreamily, enjoying what he was doing.

  It took Jon a full minute to answer, being a little occupied. “I’ll modify my statement; you’re the first anybody.”

  That pleased Annika more than she thought it would, but she knew they needed to talk seriously about their situation. “Maybe later,” she thought and lay back down on her pillow. “Much later.”

  Chapter 14

  Newhope, Space Center

  Jon woke slowly from a deep sleep. His mind rolled over the previous night’s events. With a start, he realized Annika was not in bed with him. On her pillow was a note. Angry that he had overslept and missed her departure, he grabbed the note, read it and then reread it.

  “You are beautiful when you sleep. We need to talk. Make contact when you can.”

  It was signed AM. Jon lay back for a second thinking about Captain Masterson. The life of a young officer in the CSF Space Force didn’t leave a lot of time for a steady relationship, much less a family. He was going to be thirty years old this year, an age when most of his second cousins on Islandia had already been married for ten years or more. His grandparents and parents had managed to get married and have a family, but today’s Space Force was much larger and more demanding of its younger officers. Jon had known this when he entered the academy and had consciously made a choice to defer any plans for a permanent relationship until he would have enough port time to allow for a family. Annika was threatening to blow a hole in his well thought out plans. He sat on the edge of the bed thinking about the rapid-fire romance that had developed between them. Was it real? Was it just a night of pleasure between consenting adults? He didn’t think so, but he would have to wait to find out. Right now, he was the captain of the CSF’s latest, most modern warship. The Space Force would not let her sit in port while her captain figured out if he was in love or just in lust.

  An hour later, after checking in with Lieutenant Burns, he reported to Admiral Dexter’s office. After a short delay, Ben knocked on the admiral’s door and let Jon in. It was obvious the Commander in Chief was in the middle of a busy day. His desk and table were full of blue bound reports. “Budget time,” he explained, although there was no reason for an admiral to explain to a captain what he was working on.

  In spite of the vigorous and distracting sexual activities of the previous evening, Jon and Annika had developed a working plan for using the Yogamundi and Vajrashilans’ mental talents. Jon handed the summary of their suggestions to the admiral, but he asked Jon to give him a brief verbal review.

  “The Yogamundi has an incredible ability to biologically analyze its immediate surroundings and adapt its defenses to combat biological threats. Since it has a limited range and is immobile, any military deployment of the Yogamundi is impractical, but we should study the tree for clues on how to use that knowledge not only to help new colonist settle hostile worlds but also as a possible biological defense weapon. In the past six hundred years, the Yogamundi has been able to biologically alter the Vajrashilans. As their Cleric-General explained, they have been taught to ‘unsheathe their sharpest sword’ to defend themselves.” Jon paused for a moment before continuing. “Commander Masterson and I suggest the CSF consider forming a psychic unit of Vajrashilan soldiers to test their ability in a combat situation. We also recommend that the Gruenwald Labs should explore the possibility of developing an electronic method of reproducing their physic techniques.”

  Admiral Dexter sat back and thought about what Jon had said. Abruptly he changed subjects and asked Jon, “What’s your impression of Commander Masterson?”

  Jon stiffened in his chair. The question was not unexpected, but it put him in a delicate position. In a flash, he knew what he had to do. “I must tell you, Admiral Dexter, Captain Masterson and I are romantically involved, and my opinion will be influenced by that fact.”

  Admiral Dexter looked at the young officer sitting across from him. He was aware that Commander Masterson had s
pent the night in Captain McKinnah’s quarters. That plus the request made by Marcia McKinnah to delay the captain’s departure created a simple equation, one plus one equals a pair. What impressed him was the rapidity with which Captain McKinnah warned him his opinion might be compromised. That plus the fact that he had used the word ‘romantically’ involved instead of ‘sexually’ involved.’ Maybe Marcia McKinnah’s instinct was correct about the two young people. It was none of the admiral’s concerned as long as it didn’t compromise McKinnah’s performance. He didn’t believe it would.

  “Thanks for warning me about that, Captain McKinnah, but I’m still interested in your candid opinion.”

  Jon felt like a weight lift from his shoulders. All morning he had struggled with his decision to wait until he achieved flag rank before committing to a relationship and his desire to pursue what had happened between him and Annika. He was also relieved to discover the admiral didn’t find his involvement with an officer in the Terran Space a conflict of interest.

  “I can’t testify to her competence as an officer in their Space Force, Sir, but I can tell you she is bright, focused and exhibited very little fear when confronted with a potentially dangerous situation. When Talo and I braced her about her secret assignment from the Secretary of Future Human Welfare, she quickly assessed the situation and told us what her assignment was. Talo advised me she spoke the truth.”

  Admiral Dexter studied Jon’s face as he described Commander Masterson. He was satisfied with his candor and lack of bias. “Very good, Captain. That coincides with Talo assessment.” He picked up the report that Jonathon brought with him and rose from his chair. He reached across the table and shook Jon’s hand. “Good luck on your next assignment, Captain McKinnah. I believe Admiral Manda is expecting you.” As Jon shook the admiral’s hand, the older man smiled and said, “And good luck with Commander Masterson. She appears to be quite a catch.”