Warrior Chronicles 2: Warrior's Blood (23 page)

Unknown Planet, 1500 Light Years From Earth

The structure before them looked like an arena. It was a large, multi-level, circular structure that seemed to have a retractable roof. Speral led Cort and his team to the focal area in the center and told them to wait for her. She walked into the underside of the structure and reappeared on the first level near a stage-like platform at one edge of what Cort could only compare to a playing field. Two large tanks, similar to fish bowls, rolled onto the stage and stopped. They were filled with clear liquid and each contained a different species.

The first looked like some form of octopus or squid. Perhaps two meters tall, it had eight tentacles and was ‘standing’ on two of them. Cort sensed incredible intelligence behind the creature’s four dark eyes. The second creature immediately reminded Cort of
The Creature From the Black Lagoon.
It was easily three meters tall, scaled, bipedal, and had large webbed feet. Its hands were more proportionate, but still webbed. The bones of both feet and hands resembled talons.

Behind the two aquatic species, three more aliens moved to the stage. Two wore helmeted suits that Cort suspected were for atmospheric reasons. Both were small, one being less than a meter tall, and the other was about one and a half meters. The smaller of the two was four-legged, but because of its suit Cort wasn’t able to discern much more. The suit that the second one wore, however, was transparent. The occupant had an exoskeleton and two legs, but did not seem to have any other appendages. Cort wondered how it could function, but didn’t have much time to ponder any one species before him.

The last alien on the stage was light beige, insectoid creature. It was not wearing any kind of protective gear, and was only partially erect. Cort estimated its body length at two and a half meters, its upper portion erect and the lower half on the ground. It used eight legs to move, with four more upper legs that it seemed to use like arms. Its two eyes protruded laterally from what must be its head and seemed to have the ability to look in nearly all directions.

The creatures on the stage, as well as nearly every other occupant of the arena were focused entirely on Cort and the other four humans. Cort opened the tactical channel and assigned each of the men a target from the stage. “If this goes bad, we target the stage, then I will clear a hole for us in the structure. We return to Speral’s ship and will assess the situation there. Clear?”

Everyone acknowledged their targets and instructions as Speral seemed to address the aliens on the stage. Cort didn’t know what she said, but when she finished, the insect moved off of the platform and straight for Cort. Pence and his team immediately raised their weapons and stepped between Cort and the approaching alien.

“Stop where you are,” Cort told the alien.

“Very well,” the creature said as it stopped ten meters from Cort and his team. “You are Death, I presume. You can address me as Lap. I am the chief of our collaboration.”

“Lap, I am Cort Addison of the Ares Federation. I’m not called Death. It is coincidence that my name means death in Speral’s language.”

“Your federation is designated as planet 432-4 in our nomenclature. How would you like that designation changed?”

Cort immediately recognized the system used to designate planets and said, “In our language, the star of our system is known as Sol. The names of our planets in order are as Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and the outermost large orbital is known as Pluto. 432-3 is our native planet Earth. I am the Protector of 432-4, known as Mars.”

Lap said something to the others then spoke in English again. “The names of your planets have been added to our records. Their new designations have been accepted. Will you help us to stop the crystals?”

“Lap, I need much more information about the conflict and the enemy before I can decide that. I’m here to gather that information. I also need to know how my people will benefit from aiding you.”

“I understand. If you do not aid us, it is likely that eventually the crystals will reach Sol, and your species will have to fight them on your own.”

“It seems we will have to fight them on our own anyway. Speral says that your collective government forbids offensive weaponry and that even if we help you, we will not be allowed to join your group.”

“This is true. But the crystal entity will be much larger by then and much more difficult to defeat. It would be in all of our interests for you to fight it now, rather than later.”

“There will need to be greater benefit to our people in order for us to join in your defense.”

“How do you wish to be rewarded?” Lap asked.

“Not rewarded. We need certain technology to insure that we are able to effectively fight the crystals. First we need the ability to communicate in real time. That is, between star systems.”

“Agreed. What else?”

“All information you have on the crystals. We must learn everything we can about it be able to fight it effectively. We also need access to your defensive technology,” Cort said.

“Agreed.”

“We need the technology to travel to and from the infected systems.”

“We will transport you as needed,” Lap said.

“That isn’t good enough, Lap. We want the technology to transport ourselves.”

“That is not possible. It is forbidden to share that technology with unaffiliated races.”

“Then we cannot help you.” Cort turned to Speral and said, “Please take us home, Speral.”

“We are not done meeting with you, Cort. Until the meeting is over you may not leave.”

Cort’s railgun appeared over one shoulder. The rest of the team took combat stances with their weapons at ‘high-ready’, pointing toward their assigned targets. Cort spoke. “Are we prisoners, Lap?”

“You may not leave until our meeting is over,” Lap repeated.

“Let’s go, squad.” Cort moved toward the entrance they had used to enter the arena. His team deployed in a diamond formation around him, sweeping all directions.

“How will you leave the planet?” Lap asked.

Without looking back, Cort said, “We are going to destroy all of your ships except Speral’s. Then we are going to use it to return to our world. Speral knows that I have used her transition system before, in a manner that not even her people can.”

“Then why do you need our technology?”

“Clearly I don’t, now. I am taking a ship. And any ship which enters our system will be destroyed. Goodbye, Lap.” Cort and the others walked out of the arena.

As they approached the landing area, Speral spoke to Cort. “Cort Addison, please do not take my ship. I will return you to Mars.”

“You have until I’m secured to your hull. At that time, I will order my escort to take control of it.”

Cort lifted one of Pence’s men to the top of Speral’s ship as Pence and the other three guarded the area. Speral arrived as the man was securing Cort’s waist to the hull. “Cort Addison, I have been told to convince you to return to the meeting.”

“Speral, I have stated the first of my terms. If your government will not meet them there is no reason to continue the discussion. Please return us to our planet.”

“Cort Addison, please. You must help us.”

“No, Speral. I must protect my people. That is all I
must
do. Anything else I choose to do will be on my terms. Your government cannot ask for my help without meeting my requirements. I am not bound by your laws. In fact, I cannot even participate in your government, trade with your peoples, or benefit from your advancements. You want me to fight your war, yet you offer no incentive for me to do so. Take me back to my planet now, Speral. And if one single ship from this government ever enters our system again, I will destroy it without warning.”

The man finished securing Cort and jumped down from the top of the ship. Pence and his men walked to the airlock and began to cycle it open. Cort heard Lap’s voice. “Please wait. We do not even know if you can help us, Cort. You are asking us to violate our own laws on the chance that you might be able to stop the crystals.”

“If you don’t make an exception to your laws, there is no chance at all of us stopping them for you. Because we will not try,” Cort replied.

“Do you have any other requirements?” Lap asked.

“Yes. We need a history of your government and its constituent peoples and your laws. We also need  any information known about every planet already taken by the crystals, including their histories. All of these things are needed immediately, so that we may decide if we are going to help you. Finally, if we agree to help you we will need complete cooperation, whether our requests violate your laws or not. We will try to minimize any internal conflict we might cause, but if it occurs we will not be held responsible for it.”

“Please delay your departure for one of your hours,” Lap requested.

“No.”

“Cort, it must be voted on.”

“Then vote. Right now.”

“It must be discussed,” Lap said.

“Speral, you have a decision to make. Take us home or lose your ship.”

“You are a bully, Cort.”

“Yes Lap, I am. And I am your only hope. Vote now or I leave now.”

“Stand by.” Two minutes later Lap spoke again. “We agree to your requirements, Cort. How long will it take you to decide if you will help us?”

“I will notify you once we have gone over the information you provide. Please give us summary responses to each inquiry, as well as complete files. We will give you a preliminary response quickly, and at that time we will give you a time frame for our involvement if we agree to help you.”

“Very well. Speral will provide you with a method of communication.”

“Thank you, Lap,” Cort replied.

“You are a curious being, Cort Addison. You are belligerent, yet calculating. Bazel believes you to be extremely dangerous because of these traits.”

“Bazel?”

“Yes, he is the aquatic octopod that was with me on the platform. He seems to admire you. That is unusual for his species. I believe his feelings influenced the vote.”

“I remember Bazel. Goodbye, Lap.”

“Goodbye, Cort.”

--

Argyre Site, Ares Federation

“Doctor Black, have your people come up with anything yet?” Cort asked.

“For which problem?” Black retorted. “You’ve got us working on weapons, on ship designs, on planetary structure, colony construction, and Gods know how many other projects. I’ve got three dozen men and women doing the work of three hundred.”

“I know, and I’m sorry, but there’s nothing we can do about that,” Cort said.

“Regarding the ships, there are three technologies we can use, but each has its limitations. There is the transdimensional system that Speral’s people use. It is an incredible system but is limited in that it uses reference points that determine where they can or can’t go.”

“What do you mean?” Rand asked from his office. He still hadn’t left Aeolis.

“It has to do with their beacons. When they transition into real space, the beacons somehow realign with their new location. From that point, they can transit back to the point they came from, or to their point of origin where the beacon was created. That’s the extent of their fine control. They can also input basic star chart coordinates into the beacons, but when they do so, they will transit to a random lagrange point in the desired system. Think of lagrange points as locations within a system where gravity is perfectly balanced between the systems bodies. It is more complex but that is the basic concept. Beyond that transit, they have to move with their regular drive system, which is time consuming. The advantage of this system is that it uses a relatively small amount of energy. As a footnote, for our purposes, this method is consistent with Burkhard Heim’s twentieth century theory suggesting magnetic fields can be used to enter other dimensions of space. I believe Cort’s old nemesis Doctor Natsumo was experimenting in this manner when Cort was sent to our time.”