Star Kitten (49 page)

Other species could only
shake their heads and wonder… why don’t they just go find another
job? Maybe it just made their lives more interesting to try and get
on the news. To the viewer on another planet it most assuredly
looked that way. After all, what could they possibly hope to
accomplish by just whining and complaining on camera? Just what
could any politician do to help them anyway, besides console them
and make empty promises to them come election time? Ironically,
most any individual human with reasonable intelligence would at
least
profess
knowing that they were all just being used by the powers that
be, and nothing could be done for them. Yet here they were,
thousands of them, demanding that something be done. But by whom?
And what—if anything—could be accomplished with their
protests?

That’s what was always so confusing about
humans. They seemed to be completely naïve about things at times;
yet fiercely distrustful and suspicious at other times. As the
famously wise old Pumalar Fleet Admiral Felis Silvestris once put
it, “Be careful of humans. They are so accustomed to lying… they
can’t even believe what’s in their own hearts.” Slartigifijians put
it differently. Architeuthis once told an overwrought and
overworked Solomon Mwonga, “It is the way with your species you
see, my friend… you let your emotions confuse your intelligence;
then you turn right around and let your intelligence confound your
emotions. Your heart doesn’t know which one to believe.”

When Galactic Convention finally convened
and began discussing matters of importance, the hot issue brought
forward early on by the Earth delegation was the clandestine
trading of energy crystals, precious gemstones, silver and other
mineral ores, and most importantly the issue of Rijel 12 being the
likely source of all these. If this planet truly was the origin; as
well as a base for pirate raids then a military mission to
investigate and reconnoiter the planet was long overdue. That’s
what Earth proposed. What’s more: Earth delegation proposed sending
this armed reconnaissance using Star Fleet forces to Rijel 12 and
find out first hand if this was indeed the deadly pirate base
everyone had imagined. Debate against the proposal was swift and
furious.

“Non-sssense!” argued the
Zorgolongian delegation leader. “This is jussst Earther economic
imperialism.” And essentially they were right. Earth had once tried
solving its energy and raw mineral ore needs by turning an entire
planet into a working mine using prison labor. “Now,” chuckled the
Zorgolongian delegation leader (a rather grotesque lizard named
Vraaak), “theez same greedy Earthmen want us-sss to use Star
Fleet’s-sss power to crush their economic rival. The same
competitor, mind you, that they s-sssought all our help creating
s-ssso many years ago in the first place!” This brought a surge of
retorts from the Earth delegation, realizing now that the
Zorgolongian delegate had basically just
admitted
having a complete knowledge
of Rijel 12 as the true source. The hundred or so Zorgolongians in
the delegation all laughed derisively, which made it worse.
Of course they all knew the minerals were coming
from Rijel 12
! Why conceal their knowledge
anymore? And some of the Porkonji delegation laughed right along
with them. Now it was all quite out in the open; and the “gloves
were about to come off.”

By way of comparison, the Pumalars were not
in the slightest bit amused. Amidst the chattering Zorg laughter
and snorting giggles from the Porkonjii, the Pumalar leader rose
from his chair. “It’s so very ironic isn’t it?” yelled the Pumalar
delegation chairman. “My esteemed counterpart from Zorgolong knows
very well how his own planet benefits from cheap black market
energy crystals. Yet he has the shameful audacity to taunt our
honorable hosts with this!” The Zorgolongians hissed their
resentment; while the Porkonji delegates chuckled just a little
more subtly at the brash comment from the big cat. True, Porkonji
traders were getting discounted energy crystals and mineral ore
too; but it was always just so entertaining to watch Zorgs and
Pumalars argue and squabble with each other.

Of course it could get dangerous! These two
species had once warred upon each other for decades… resulting in
the deaths of millions… but that had been long, long ago. The
resentments still lingered between the two species, oh yes. However
both sides had years before realized the futility of interplanetary
war.

The war that had begun between Zorgolong and
Pumalar so many years before; began with minor skirmishes in space
between ships trying to colonize planets for additional resources
and food. In effect, the two species found each other distasteful
or even downright disgusting right from the start; and the
arrogance of Pumalars regarding their reputation for honor and
integrity ran face first into the Zorgolongian’s abhorrent
reputation for dishonesty and shifty negotiating practices.
Conflict was bound to result from this mutual disdain. Zorgs
considered Pumalars to be stupid and naïve while Pumalars
underestimated the Zorgolongian’s innate tenacity. Both sides were
completely wrong about each other; and both sides had really no
idea how terribly long and bloody the conflict would be when they
finally declared open warfare upon each other.

Pumalar ground forces were the best in the
galaxy at the time; but capturing large amounts of territory
accomplished little for them. Zorgs would simply isolate enemy
forward units occupying captured cities and obliterate them with
nuclear missiles—even incinerating their own fellow Zorgolongians
still trapped in those areas. Pumalars would retaliate by fanning
out and slaughtering entire populations of Zorgolongian civilians
in reprisal, destroying farms and factories and economic
infrastructure in the process. Zorg fleets would retaliate by
flying to Pumalar and level entire Pumalar cities with nuclear
attacks; only to be overwhelmed and obliterated by Pumalar patrol
squadrons before they could escape to the relative safety of the
Zorgolongian star system.

There was no possible victory to be
achieved. Only more deaths and more massacres occurred as momentum
shifted back and forth between the warring powers. Total war was
accomplishing nothing for either side other than the destruction of
their societies and decimation of entire generations of healthy
young males and females. Peace negotiations were impossible too.
There was just too much bitterness between the two species.
Pumalars would never trust the Zorgolongians to live up to any
peace treaty; and Zorgolongians considered the Pumalars to be
nothing more than gigantic snarling morons who deserved to be
deceived. For years it went on like that, until both sides were
militarily and financially exhausted.

It was only then, after years of devastating
war, that the Slartigifijians stepped in to broker a peace accord;
and all the other planets joined them in creating the original
Interplanetary Authority which had maintained peace in the galaxy
for so many years since. The lesson had been learned… at least back
then anyway… that war accomplishes nothing but death and
destruction. No one really wins; and only the dead will ever see an
end to the suffering that it brings.

The Slartigifijians finally weighed in with
their opinion on the Earth proposal as well; once the sniping and
bickering subsided. They had learned long ago to just let the two
cultures have their little arguments until they’d got it out of
their systems a bit. Also, Slarts were innately gifted in being
patient during these little spats between the Pumalars and
Zorgolongians. It paid off sometimes in that as the exchanges grew
gradually more heated, both sides would point out well-hidden facts
or make assertions about each other which needed to be
discussed.

The Slart chairmain, a rather feeble old
squid named Pharynx, argued against the armed intervention of Star
Fleet in regard to Rijel 12; and especially not to do so on behalf
of the mining companies of Earth. Such an effort would be both
unnecessary and unrewarding. An economic solution to the problem
was in order; not a military one. Clearly in the arguments between
the Pumalar delegation and the Zorg delegation, it had become clear
that the Zorgolongian economy was benefiting from the supply of
minerals and energy crystals via the black market. Mainly, it had
driven down the prices of these resources (prices which had been
maintained at a lofty level by the Earth mining companies
attempting to control them after the fall of New Australia
Planetary Prison). This benefited the mining companies’ bottom
line, yes. But it also taxed other planets’ economies. Pumalar
benefited from this clandestine trade too; even if they had little
access to the black market directly, because mineral and crystal
prices had indeed fallen dramatically in the previous galactic year
(about 4.3 earth years).

But most of all, in Pharynx’s view, “As an
alliance of intelligent species, we all know we committed a
terrible wrong. ALL of our ancestors did; back when we opened the
planetary prison on Rijel 12. And now we have reaped what we have
sowed. Why are we so surprised and befuddled now by the dilemma we
face today? There is no doubt in many of our minds that the
survivors of that horrific rebellion at New Australia Planetary
Prison years ago have found a way to live there and devised a way
to prosper, despite the challenges they must have faced. That said,
the pirate raids… have all but stopped. Pirate bases all over the
galaxy have been wiped out. Star Fleet patrols have been
responsible for some of these eliminations, yes. Yet evidence has
shown that many more have been destroyed by other pirates. The
pirate alliance that we once feared never materialized.”

This led to a long dull rumble of murmuring
from the crowd, as tempers cooled and angry delegates from the
Pumalar and Zorgolongian sections of the assembly hall began to
settle down and take their seats. The Earth delegation though, was
all ears and listening anxiously to every word the old Slart spoke.
His calm soothing voice was deep and resonant, but the anxiety
among the Earth men was growing. Just what was he implying by all
this? Was he about to state a rationalizaton for just leaving the
once-suspected pirate base unmolested? Was he proposing to just
forgive the Star Pussy raid; and leave things well enough alone on
Rijel 12? This might have been the righteous and logical path… in
the long run… but there was no way it would settle well with all
those angry Earth protesters outside. And they were all most
assuredly listening in on the proceedings. The whole session of the
Galactic Convention was being broadcast throughout the galaxy; and
outside these nearly ten thousand protesters were riveted to the
broadcast on giant video screens.

Pharynx then turned toward the Earth
delegation and spoke directly toward them. “Let us not add to our
already shameful past, by invading this planet now and warring upon
those whom we once discarded—those whom we sent there to die,” he
said calmly but resolutely. This caused a stir among the Earth
delegation who began bristling at the inference that indeed they
should shoulder the blame for the travesty that had occurred with
the creation of a prison for violent criminals; only to have it
turn into a dumping ground for social malcontents from every planet
in the galaxy. True, Earth may have exploited the opportunity to
rid itself of political dissidents and undesirables… but every
planet shared in this practice. Why should Earth solely bear this
guilt?

“Our esteemed colleagues from Earth, he
continued, “…we all understand what they’re seeking. And they’re
most likely correct in assuming that the source of all the black
market supply is coming from there. But let us face some more facts
and other calculable probabilities.” He then took in a deep breath
of air to raise his voice loudly and confidently: “They want to
attack Rijel 12 and recapture it for themselves; solving their own
economic problems through military aggression. That is abundantly
clear to us all.”

Gasps could be heard from within the Earth
delegation. Indignation began to rise from among the delegates in
their section while Pumalars sat staring blankly at them and
Zorgolongians hissed with delight at the revealing spotlight being
cast upon their economic rival Earth. Porkonji and Schpleefti
delegates grinned slyly as well. They knew it was now Earth’s turn
to squirm under the microscope of hard brutal truth.

“This is the wrong path for us,” Pharynx
added. “It will lead to—it will bring even more shame and sorrow to
all of us in the Interplanetary Authority. War is never the answer,
as we’ve all learned so well over the centuries. We as a galaxy
cannot support this type of aggression.”

Earth delegates were
outright furious at Pharynx’s words. They murmured and cat-called;
screamed and shouted angrily. And of course they made sure whenever
possible to be seen on camera doing so. But it galvanized them too,
making them all even more resolute in their opinions. It was as if
they all just made their decision that day. Abandon logic and
morality for the time being, and act on behalf of their own
planet’s interests regardless of the wise old Slart’s observations.
The earth delegation suddenly came together all in one dramatic
moment of irrational emotion and blind patriotism. Maybe… just
maybe… secession
was
an option after all (someday perhaps). But most assuredly
Earth knew it stood alone in its resoluteness to solve the whole
galaxy’s “pirate problem”, even if that threat no longer seemed to
exist. They were beyond being reasoned with.

At that point, the Earth
delegation didn’t even need to wait for the vote; and several
delegates began urging one another to prepare to walk out on the
proceedings if indeed the measure failed to pass. When Earth’s
resolution for an “
armed mission to Rijel
12 to investigate or confront unauthorized illegal or illicit
business activities including operations of piracy, smuggling, or
clandestine trade
” was put for a vote,
Earth delegation prepared itself to walk out of the meeting hall
united in protest, arm-in-arm, chanting “RI-JEL TWELVE, RI-JEL
TWELVE.” The tension in the assembly hall, as well as outside in
that sea of protesters, was nearing its boiling point.