<Eridani Landing: 9 years 3 months 1 days>
[Hollen] had cleared out his captain’s chair and was sitting in it, a bottle of what had to be some form of liquor in his still shaking hands.
“You’re class C?” he asked again.
“What does that mean?” asked Young.
[Hollen] glanced at the young woman who had directed them to the bridge, despite everything she appeared much calmer than the Captain.
“My daughter will be able to explain it better,” he took another swig of whatever was in the bottle.
The young woman glanced at her father but nodded and stepped forwards, “The classification system was implemented by the Empire during its formation, and remains a staple of their dominion. With a genetic variance of .1 or lower you are Class A. Variances of .4 to .1 are class B, and variances of 1 percent to .4 are Class C species.”
“So the entire Empire is based on Genetic purity? Compared to what?” asked Young.
“The Dorvakian’s who else?” asked the woman looking confused.
“The Dorvakian’s are the ones who formed the Empire, they lead it?” asked Young.
The woman slowly nodded, “Yes, how do you not know this?” she asked.
“Are we correct in assuming that the Dorvakian’s are also the ones whom lead the military for the Empire?” asked Young pressing forwards.
[Hollen] stood, “The majority of the Imperial military is composed of Class B citizens, but all officers save one or two are Class A citizens.”
“Then I’m going to assume that you do not report to them, especially considering what you do to try and earn extra resources.”
[Hollen] waved his hand dismissively, “so long as we do not fall behind on deliveries the Empire does not care about us, especially out here on the edge of their domain.”
Young looked back at Diana and everyone else in the squad.
“Then have you heard of Earth?” asked Young.
[Hollen] looked at Young for a moment and then to Diana, “Did you translate that correctly?” asked the alien captain.
Diana frowned, “uh, [Dirt]?” she asked trying another interpretation.
“No, we’ve not heard of it.”
“What about our species designation from the Empire, C1764?”
[Hollen] winced, “Please do not call yourself a class C species. You are in space, you are traveling at FTL speeds and you have weapons impressive enough to fend off the mercenaries. You cannot be a class C species.”
“Why not? What makes you think we are lying?” asked Young.
[Hollen] shook his head and took another swig of his drink, whatever it was Diana hoped it was on the weaker alcoholic side it was difficult enough translating through the accent these people had a slur would only make it worse.
“I don’t think you’re lying, confused maybe, or something wrong with your translation. Like your imperial envoy should have explained a Class C deviant from the norm of the Empire looks normal enough, but their brains are all funny. The Class C’s all destroy themselves with nuclear or biological weapons long before the Empire is able to teach them to use the resources of their planet correctly. If they don’t the Empire eradicates them like the pests they are so that the resources can be used before they destroy themselves.”
Diana felt like saying something back to the alien captain but she held her tongue, from the look on Young’s face he had a similar opinion.
“So the Empire eradicates any species they deem as genetically inferior?” he asked his voice shaking slightly.
“If they’re too far gone, if not they give you the injections to make sure you’re children get to be Class A citizens someday.”
[Hollen] patted his clothes and produced a small injector, there was no needle on the end but it was plainly well used, parts of the metal on it gleaming where it was being worn down.
“So everyone in the Empire wants to be a Class A citizen?” asked Young.
[Hollen] nodded, “of course.”
“What if you don’t want to join the Empire?”
“What?”
“If you do not want to join the Empire, what happens?” asked Young.
“No one has ever done that, class B worlds have fought the Empire before but it is never a competition. We are introduced to the Empire when we had nothing but the simplest of technologies. They raise us up and teach us what is right in the universe.”
Young looked at the man for several moments, “What if I told you we had a story, one where a Class C species resisted the Empire and won.”
“I would call you a fool, no one has ever done this.”
The Captain’s daughter stepped forward again.
“You beat them?” she asked.
Inside her eye was a twinkle of something, looking more closely at the girl Diana felt as if she were looking into a mirror. It was the same want for revenge that had crossed her own features many time over the years.
Maybe aliens weren’t so bad after all.
Ben held the beacon out to the Alpha, the small creature leaned forward and carefully sniffed it. Determining that it was not food Alpha leaned back on his small legs to look up at Ben, letting out a trilling warble which both Ben and Megan were interpreting as interrogative.
“Up, this need to go up.”
Ben pointed up towards the surface of the ice, trying to get the alien to understand.
Alpha didn’t show any signs of comprehension however and continued to watch Ben questioningly.
“Ben, even if they are intelligent I think it’s going to be difficult to explain a beacon to them.”
Alpha let out another squeak and jumped up into the air landing on Ben’s chest. Moving quickly Alpha crawled along Bens arm until he was perched on his hand looking down at the device.
Ben grimaced slightly as the alien crawled on him.
“You OK?” asked Megan.
“It tickles,” said Ben.
“Well don’t move.”
Ben nodded in agreement.
Alpha stared at the beacon for several more moments and then leaning forwards wrested it from Ben’s hand and dropped to the ground.
He remained still for a moment and then slowly raised the device which was about half his size into the air above his head.
Alpha and the rest of the creatures all let out a collective hum.
“Well that’s something, I think,” said Ben.
Another of the creatures slowly moved over to where Megan was, and the bag of rations.
Megan looked down at it, the thing wasn’t making any attempts to hide its movements and its eyes were locked on hers. Whatever it was doing it was being cautious.
The creature moved until it was standing on top of the bag of rations, and collectively all of the small things let out another hum.
“Any idea what that means?” asked Ben.
Megan thought for a moment, “A trade maybe?” she asked.
“Sounds like a good guess to me.”
Megan tentatively reached into the bag drawing out another complete ration block. Setting it down still sealed in front of Alpha she turned to look at him.
“Yes!” she said drawing out and carefully enunciating her words.
The Alpha looked at her for a moment and then still holding the beacon crawled up to its brethren at the hatch.
They all let out the questioning squeak again.
Ripping into the package Megan tore off a small section of the ration and offered it to the small creature in front of her. Once again like it was starving the creature grabbed at the food and rushed back to share it with the others.
“Think they got it?” asked Megan.
Alpha tore up out of the shuttle and into the ice, looking up Ben saw the small creature disappear into a tunnel that seemed to have just been excavated.
“Hope so.”
[Vann] sat down in the shuttle, and the vehicle slowly rose up into the air.
“[Reece], what data did you get?”
The Bodyguard sat down in the seat across from his young charge and brought out a data tablet.
“The amount of data present is surprisingly sparse given the scope of the research being done. I was able to get access to the backup databases that the researchers were using but I suspect not everything was being stored off site, or at least not on the designated backup servers.”
[Reece] held up the data tablet and the holographic display in the transport picked it up showing all of the data on the device.
“For example, the project has very little in the way of scientific proofs regarding this new method of FTL,” said [Reece].
Several long papers moved forward to be prominent in the display showing what to [Vann] looked to be fairly complex mathematical formula.
“This isn’t complex?” asked [Vann] as the Emperor he had received the best education of anyone in the Empire, but he was by no means an expert on anything in front of him.
“From what the analysts tell me the premise of the research is almost backwards, like the scientist know it is possible to utilize this new method of FTL and they are trying to make the math fit into it. When usually they would first develop the mathematical model before attempting to model the process.”
[Vann] frowned, “Alright, why?”
[Reece] shrugged, “No idea, and everyone I’ve talked to regarding the project has no idea either. [Marcus] seems to have put significantly more effort into keeping this project hidden then the other schemes we’ve uncovered.”
“You think it would be worth pressing some of the Senators on his side, compel them to speak?”
[Syn] leaned around from the front of the transport where she was sitting with the pilot.
“Not a good idea considering what’s going on right now, he’s got most of them spun up with the latest tax reforms. You’ve already got the older crowd he’s with hating you.”
[Vann] looked up at the woman, “So you want to ignore a project that involved not insignificant amounts of antimatter?”
He paused for a moment and frowned, “what are you doing here anyway?”
[Syn] rolled her eyes and handed him another data tablet.
“Working.”
[Vann] glanced down at the tablet.
“What’s this?” he asked.
“When the news of the blast got to [Marcus] he started cleaning up and hiding as much of the project as he could. Most of what he did is far above me in the chain of command, but he did contact a small public garrison out in the more affluent ring of the Capital.”
[Vann] paged through the report, “Captain [Charles]? Who’s he?”
[Syn] shrugged, “No idea. I’ve tried to access his records but I was bounced out by a security clearance higher than I thought they went.”
“So I could get access to it but [Marcus] would know I was looking into him.”
[Syn] nodded, “My thoughts as well.”
“What were the orders he gave the garrison?”
“From what I understand it’s to observe the man and make sure he doesn’t speak to anyone especially journalists. From what I can tell though none would really take him seriously. He’s got a clean public record up until about eight years ago. He finished up whatever classified assignment he was on and retired, got quite a substantial pension and he’s been a drunk ever since.”
[Vann] looked up at [Syn], “So you’re saying that a disgraced Captain might know what [Marcus] is doing? Why isn’t he dead yet then?”
[Syn] shrugged, “We’ve been trying to figure out what [Marcus] has been hiding for years you really want to give up this lead? If I couldn’t kill the man and I were in the illustrious Consul’s position I would do as much to discredit him as possible.”
[Vann] grunted in agreement, “Fine, let’s go and get him.”
[Reece] coughed, “I do have to remind you that going into an unsecured location with only myself as your protection detail is unwise.”
“And as you’re constantly telling me it takes years to gain wisdom, so I’m entitled to act the fool every so often. Besides the Emperor showing up will stop any interference with the local law enforcement.”
“Could you at least stay in the transport?” asked [Reece].
“No.”
[Reece] and reached for the large weapon mounted underneath his seat in the transport and pulling it out checked it over.
“Then you don’t get to say anything about this.”
[Vann] looked over the impressive weapon, the concentrated plasma burst from the bore were strong enough to punch through almost any type of armor currently in use. It was overkill and he was also fairly sure that it was illegal to have on the home world outside of a military complex.
“I wasn’t planning to.”
[Yuka] put the bottle back in the recycler and looked around the kitchen, [Charles] had in his drunken stupor last night decided that he wanted to make himself something to eat. Whatever it was that the man had tried to make had ruined two pots spread the majority of his refrigerated items over the floor and somehow had not burned his home down.
Everything back in order though [Yuka] looked at the clock, it had taken her nearly [two hours]. Shaking her head in disbelief she walked back out to the main room of the home to find [Charles] still asleep in the chair like he had been when she had arrived. He was cradling a half empty bottle of another drink and mumbling in his sleep.
The gong on the front porch rang out, [Yuka] frowned. No one had ever visited the man while she had been working for him and it was too early for deliveries in this section of the city. Curious [Yuka] quickly straightened out her disheveled robes and went to the door.
“My employer is currently indisposed!” said Yuka as she stomped towards the door and opened it ready to dismiss whoever it was calling. [Yuka] blinked trying to figure out if her eyes were playing tricks on her.
“Emperor?!” said [Yuka].
The ruler of the Empire spared her as glance and stepped forward into the home, pushing [Yuka] to the side where she hit the wall and already dazed collapsed to her knees. The bodyguard behind him carrying the largest weapon she had ever seen barely spared her a glance as he stepped over her into the home.
“You didn’t say he had help!” said the Emperor calling backwards towards someone else.
An incredibly poised and beautiful woman stepped in over the threshold of the home and spared [Yuka] a glance. The inferior citizen quickly bowed her head.
“Didn’t know, he must have hired her on the side. Sorry about that!”
[Yuka] didn’t say anything as the woman pushed past her into the home following the Emperor.
“You weren’t kidding about drunk,” Said the Emperor.
Slowly [Yuka] got to her feet and crept into the main room, the terrifying bodyguard, Emperor and beautiful woman were all circled around [Charles] who was still slumbering away in his chair.
The bodyguard leaned forward and poked [Charles], “Judging by the way he smells he’s not going to be coherent even if we wake him up.”
The Emperor pushed at [Charles], the drunk moaned in his sleep but otherwise didn’t react.
“You,” the Emperor rounded on [Yuka] who immediately froze in fear as the glare of the man settled on her.
“Do you know how to wake him up?”
It took [Yuka] a moment to find her words.
“Yes Emperor!” she said trying not to stutter.
The leader of the Empire stepped aside and hurriedly [Yuka] went to the kitchen and grabbing a pitcher of water came back into the living room and upended it over the head of her drunk employer while at the same time pulling the bottle he was nestled with out of his grip.
Spluttering [Charles] opened his eyes and grabbed back for the bottle, [Yuka] took a step back and the man losing his balance slipped out of his chair to the ground.
Groaning [Charles] rolled over onto his back.
“What are you doin?” he asked his words slurring.
“He’s completely out of it.” Said the bodyguard as he leaned down and taking [Charles] by the scruff of his shirt lifted him to his feet.
[Charles] blinked several times and looked around the room.
“What’s going on?” he asked.
The Emperor stepped forwards until he was right in front of Charles.
“Do you know who I am?”
[Charles] seemed to have difficulty focusing his eyes but after a moment he looked at the man.
“I thought you were dead. Didn’t you die?” asked [Charles].
[Yuka] gasped afraid what the Emperor might do.
“You are [Charles] the man who a decade ago was in command of the [Singer] are you not?” asked the Emperor.
“Yesss.” Said [Charles] his word still slurring.
“What was the mission, how is Consul Marcus involved?” asked the Emperor.
“That bastard? He’s the whole reason it happened!” [Charles] took a step forward still swaying on his feet, “He’s the whole reason they’re going to kill us!”
The bodyguard and the Emperor looked at one another.
“Who?” asked the Emperor.
It took several moment for [Charles] to collect himself, “Species C1764! The humans! They’re gonna kill all of us!” he said and sat back down in his chair.
The Emperor gave the beautiful woman an exasperated look, “this is really all you could find? He’s rambling on like a C class species is a threat!”
The woman shrugged, “Most I could find without tipping [Marcus] off. He’s going to know about this anyway so we need to get the Captain somewhere secure.”
The Emperor nodded and gestured at [Charles] once again the bodyguard lifted the drunk to his feet and began to push him out of the home.
“[Yuka]!” said [Charles] and he struggled with the bodyguard for a moment.
“Sir calm down this is the Emperor!” hissed [Yuka] not wanting him to be in any more trouble than he already was.
The Emperor looked back at the class B citizen and then at [Charles].
“She comes too, if his tongue is this loose about classified materials when he’s drunk she might know something.”
The four Class A citizens began to walk out the home, with the very confused and very scared Class B citizen trailing behind them.
<Eridani Landing: 9 years 3 months 2 days>
“You think Alpha made it to the surface?” asked Ben.
“I have no idea,” repeated Megan once again.
The two of them were lying on the floor, with the aliens all around them. The little things were now calmer than when they had first met and save for the one or two of the creatures that seemed to be tapping away incessantly at the tablet that Megan had first shown them they were happy to simply lay on the ground and relax joining them in the vigil for rescue.
Given a chance to examine them a little more closely Megan was amazed with how alien, yet similar the small things were. They were long and covered in leathery skin that when touched did not betray any sense of heat or cold and instead of being soft was rather tough. The little sets of legs they had three pairs along with the grippers on the front of their bodies were all small and very tough. Despite this they didn’t look any more alien then the creatures in the abyss of the Earth’s oceans.
They were ugly things, their only saving grace being the expressive eyes inside their heads. Seemingly to large Megan had determined that they had at least two or three sets of eyelids. Several creatures were also missing legs and manipulators, but did not seem impaired by it. Whatever the little things might be they were tough.
They also made a racket, which was always just at the edge of her hearing in the higher frequencies. Megan was dealing with the higher frequencies with the pain medication for her legs. Ben was still complaining of the headaches but other than that seemed no worse off than when they had first crashed.
“They need a name,” said Megan suddenly breaking the silence.
Ben looked up at her, “a name?”
“Yes a name, we’re Human what are they?” she asked pointing at the creatures.
They seemed to be getting ahold of body language and at her pointing the creature lounging straightened up to look at her.
“We could ask them.”
Ben stepped forwards and slowly moved his hand between himself and Megan.
“Human.”
He repeated the gesture several times and then pointed at the mass of creatures.
Simultaneously all of the small things tilted their heads to the side. A low guttural squeak rippling through them.
“What did I say?” asked Ben.
“How do you want to translate anything they’re saying? It all sounds like squeaking to me. The frequencies they communicate have to be higher than what we can hear for the most part, it’s all to high pitched. For all we’re going to get out of trying to translate something we might as well call them Squeaks.”
Ben gave Megan a cool look, “Those meds must be messing with your head, the first friendly intelligent species we come across as a race and you want to name them Squeaks?” he asked incredulous.
Megan was about to snap back at him when suddenly all of the Squeaks as they were now called looked up in alarm, and then bolted for the hatch of the Shuttle. The last one to exit were several of the creatures dragging the entire sack of food rations that had been on the floor with them.
“Hey!” said Ben as he climbed up to the exit, just in time to get his full in the face with a blast of snow and ice in the face.
Ben fell bodily back down to the floor.
“Ow!” said Ben.
A man dressed in a full rescue harness with a line trailing up behind him burst into the cabin.
“Got’em!” said the rescuer.
Ben stepped to the side as the man moved towards him.
“Her first, she’s injured.”
The man looked down at Megan and swore.
It by this point did not look very well off, the flesh hadn’t really started to decompose beneath the two tourniquets but it was plain that her legs were dead.
“Alright, I’ve got my buddy behind me.”
Leaning down the man slipped the rescue harness around Megan and tugged at his line, “Go slow brining us back up!” he said into his com unit.
The line went taunt and being careful to hold Megan correctly to prevent any further harm the man dragged her back up through the hatch and into the tunnel they seemed to have bored in the ice. Moments after he left another man in almost identical rescue gear crawled into the cabin.
“How the hell did you find us?” asked Ben.
“Your beacon, it must have been ejected in the crash. We found it up on the ice at the surface. Funny thing is that it must have just started transmitting we were getting nil until about four hours ago.”
Ben slowly nodded, and leaning over he collected Megan’s tablet.
“Let’s go with that for now, I tell you what actually happened and I’m going to get checked for a concussion and have to go through a full medical check out.”
“You’re getting that in any case sir, you crashed a shuttle.”
“In that case, little ugly aliens about the size of your head dragged the beacon up to the surface for us. We traded the some food and they were very friendly.”
The rescuer looked at ben for a moment, “You joking?”
“No.”
“I’ll just tell the medics I think you have a concussion.”
“Probably for the best.”
Alpha as he had been named by the human Megan continued to crawl through the ice back towards one of the many nests on the planet. It had been so long since they had food, so long since they had any warmth that it was taking time to process everything.
Not that Alpha was actually thinking much, he was running on pure instinct and the commands inside his own head until he reached the nest and came re-entered the collective. His vocalizations tuning in with the rest of his brethren and his leathery carapace receiving the sounds all around him focusing them inwards he became another of the nodes inside the collective
They are not Dorvakian.
They provide sustenance.
They do not harm.
They are friends.
They will help them fight.
Alpha and a small detachment of just enough of them to keep their intelligence moved away from the collective. The other nests must know, for the first time in many, many cycles they had hope!