[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
to reveal it true form at this early stage of first contact.
We trade with the Hrono. We even have some of their people living among us,
and some Mewiis live on their worlds. But the Kraaqi are a strange, fierce
people. Saris looked at Jaric. But there is one here they might welcome.
Who, me? Becky asked.
No, Saris smiled. Only the Mewiis are led by their females. The Hrono have
both female and male leaders. But the Kraaqi are male dominated.
Well, that s probably part of their problem right there, Becky said with a
chuckle.
Who might they welcome? Mother asked.
The Kraaqi are strongly loyal to their individual Bands. If not for the
constant bickering and wars among themselves, they might long ago have
conquered us and the Hrono. Krinia looked around the room. We are a
smoothed-skin people, like humans but completely hairless, and we have many
shades of green complexions. The Hrono are covered by scales, but their race
is a single iridescent green in color. The Kraaqi are also covered by smooth
skin, and they have hair like yourselves.
The Mewiis looked at Jaric.
They are most proud of their ebony skin. Saris began. If one of their young
are born light skinned, it is a curse to the entire family. Though now that
terrible caste system is almost ended even among them.
Still, a light-skinned Kraaqi can never hope to become Chieftain, though they
are now accepted up to the warrior class. But no further.
Even then, never to the rank Captain of one of their warships. Krinia added.
At least, it has never been known.
True. And though he does not look as strong, nor does he have the long hair
of a Kraaqi, still, the one you call Jaric would be welcomed as equal with
them. Saris smiled.
Then we must make plans. Even now I fear the T kaan Third is interpreting the
data from the Mewiis ship they destroyed. Soon, very soon, the horned fleet
will be coming, Mother said.
The next day, plans were formulated and their outworking began. Minstrel had
at last revealed itself fully, as well as its ship, to the Mewiis.
Page 81
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Mother was another story.
At first, the Mewiis had trouble comprehending that technology could be alive.
Even the detailed explanations from each of the children and Minstrel failed
to help. It was only after revealing Mother s actions-how she had protected
and raised the children over the years-that the Mewiis began to accept the
fact that the ship was indeed not only alive, but was also their mother. That
was a concept that they fully understood.
It was decided that Minstrel would go to the home world of the Mewiis, there
to speak before the High
Council and impress upon the Mewiis leaders how complete the coming day of
destruction would be.
Saris seemed certain that between her own report about the T kaan attack, and
the convincing tale that
Minstrel would relate about the destruction of the human race, that the High
Council would call an immediate and system-wide alarum; if for no other reason
than the fact that every Mewiis child on every world was in imminent peril
from this menace.
Mother downloaded certain of her own cherished schematics into the Mewiis
ships-those pertaining to her weapons systems as well as to her engines. She
urged Saris to immediately begin upgrading their most powerful warships and
then to refit the rest of the Mewiis fleet. If they acted now, they might be
able to refit the majority of their ships before the T kaan arrived.
Mother would go to the Hrono. Alone. Only Guardian and the other robots would
accompany her.
There she would not only share her personal technology with them, but also
present the plan for the proposed great alliance; an alliance of the combined
fleet of Mewiis, Hrono, Kraaqi and Human ships.
An alliance that would stop the oncoming horde of the T kaan. Most important,
she would have to impress upon the Hrono that this was the only hope they had
in stopping them.
But would the Hrono put aside their lifelong hatred for the Kraaqi?
Mother ran her models and felt hope at the percentage of success that the
intelligent Hrono would listen.
But her processors burned with activity when she considered the mission of her
children.
Becky, Kyle and Jaric would put their fighters inside a Mewiis starship that
would take them to the borders of the Kraaqi worlds. But the Mewiis were
afraid to take them further than the outermost border. There, within two days
of the first Kraaqi planet, the three humans would take to their fighters and
fly toward the Kraaqi home world of Hakama. That is where the Kraaqi Bands
sent their Chieftains to enforce order among the loose-knit Kraaqi Empire, to
bring the intense rivalry of the competing Bands into line. The High
Chieftains ruled from that central location.
Jaric would lead that mission.
You must be careful, Mother said with a hint of apprehension. Her children
were already inside their fighters as they prepared to launch to make the
short journey to the waiting Mewiis ship.
We will, Kyle said nonchalantly. If they give us any trouble, we ll show
them just how tough a human can be.
Becky looked with concern at her brother.
There will be no need for fighting, Jaric chimed in quickly. We ll let them
know that we re their allies.
We ll tell them that there is another enemy-one we all hold in common, one
that must be destroyed.
Only a combined Mewiis, Hrono and Kraaqi fleet can do this, Mother added.
Such a combined force will give us a fleet equal in number to the T kaan
Third.
Page 82
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Then they have to listen to us, Kyle said.
But what if they won t? Becky looked with concern at Kyle and Jaric.
Only silence answered her.
The three quickly entered their cockpits. Shortly afterward, Jaric and Becky s
ships began engine power-up. Kyle alone looked up. He stared into the optic
where Mother watched.
You are the strongest, Mother said. Jaric is the best one to lead and
negotiate. He has a good, clear mind.
Kyle smiled. Yeah, he s the smart one. Becky s the pretty one. I m just the
stubborn ol black sheep.
No, you are not. You, too, are my son, Mother said with emphasis.
Kyle nodded. Well, if the Kraaqi try to play rough, I ll watch out for the
others. I promise.
If I have not received a message from any of you within two weeks, I will
come for you, Mother s voice had become low and forceful.
Heaven help the Kraaqi then! Kyle laughed as he began the power-up sequence.
Remember the schedule, Mother added.
Kyle gave a thumbs-up and smiled at Mother.
Mother watched the radar signal of her children until they were safely inside
the Mewiis ship. The warship turned, and with a flash, was beyond the speed of
light.
They will be fine, Minstrel said as its spherical ship prepared to leave
with the Mewiis colony ship.
I feel so strange, though. There is so much activity taking up my processing
cycles that I cannot focus properly on my key thoughts. I must run a Level II
diagnostics.
Minstrel chuckled knowingly. Your children have left you for the first time.
You are worried.
Mother realized at that moment that she had been subconsciously polling all of
her visual monitors, watching the empty corridors, and not realizing she had
been actually looking for the familiar forms of the children who were no
longer there. You are correct.
It s only natural. Minstrel said.
Well, I will redirect those wasted processing cycles. I must adapt my
schematics for the hybrid weapon to the Kraaqi ships and the Hrono. The Hrono
will be the easiest, as the Mewiis have a detailed knowledge of their ships
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]