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The New Species 15
🕑 Added 2022-11-28 15:00:13 +0000 UTCChapter 15
Subject: Ship-Head Uleena
Species: Urakari
Description: Reptilian humanoid, no tail. 5'3" (1.6 m) avg height. 135 lbs (61 kg) avg weight. 105 year life expectancy.
Ship: RSV Lowelana {Fights with Honor}
Location: Elira 2
I had warned the Thanatos that there may be delays in communicating with them because of our first contact protocols, but I still felt a certain sense of unease. I had let the aliens get my hopes up about our war with the OU. If they help us we're damn near certain to win. But certain anxieties were haunting me now that I wasn't with them anymore. What if the United Systems decide to just go home? What if our diplomat messes things up with them and they declare war? What if they mess things up with the diplomat and WE declare war?
"Ship-head Uleena this is station-master Nixt, please respond," the hail saved me from further spiraling.
"This is ship-head Uleena," I replied.
"You have clearance to dock at repair bay 2. Your special guests will be escorted to their quarters, and your shipments will be delivered," Nixt said. "Please come see me when you have a chance."
"Understood, ship-head Uleena out."
I hated the code words for injured and dead, and most places didn't use them anymore. It's only out of the way stations that still use them. I remember being told that they had originally been used to avoid a panic in case civilians were listening in on the comms. That would make sense except that civilians have the Right to Access, so they get to see our casualty counts in near-real time. R2A has been around forever, so it was hard to imagine this crap was just a relic.
Kraan was injured and Ulis, his off-shift, was dead so I was manning the nav console. If it were standard maneuvers, or even standard docking, pretty much any crewman would have been able to handle it. Internal docking is a bit more difficult. In theory, the computer knows where the dock is and where the ship is and where the clamps are supposed to go. In practice, it's usually off by an inch or two. That can cause damage to the ship and to the dock. So the pilot has to know where the ship is and where the dock is and where the clamps are supposed to go, and make sure the computer doesn't fuck it up.
It had been a few years, but it was still muscle memory. The computer was a tad too deep and had overcorrected our Yaw, so I input the corrections and slowly docked the Lowelana. Come to think of it, it hadn't even been docked in the USSS Thanatos, it had been grabbed and 'scooped up'. That still felt wrong on a very deep level.
"Attention all crew," I said into the intercom, "we are officially docked at Yritona 3 in the Elira 2 system. While we're docked you are off-duty, but you must remain aboard the ship. I want you all on your best behavior. If you're good, it will be easier to get some shore leave approved."
A cheer ran through the ship. Sure, they had just had a fantastic adventure aboard the Thanatos and the Yritona was likely to pale in comparison, but cheering at shore leave is tradition.
"I will be meeting with the station-master as the repair crew comes aboard. Stay out of their way so we can have FTL back," I smiled as I paused for dramatic effect. "Dismissed."
Another cheer rang through the ship. I advised Liwna that he had command and went to the airlock. As I walked down the gangway I felt relieved that it wasn't a plastic tube and had gravity, unlike the last time I had exited the vessel. An Oyan engineer was waiting for me with a salute.
"Permission to board, ship-head?" she asked.
"Permission granted. Fix her up good, you hear?" I smiled and returned the salute.
"Yes, sir!" she said and moved to let me pass.
I got my bearings and found the exit into the station proper. As walked I wondered where my escort could be. Surely Nixt didn't expect me to just wander the station until I found him? I looked around and saw a Duhliki running toward me. I stopped and waited for him.
"Are you the ship-head?" he asked between breaths.
"Yes, I'm ship-head Uleena. Nice to meet you..." I paused, waiting for an introduction.
"Bleenus. I'm with intel, but we don't have a big staff so I'm the errand boy today. Do you mind if we relax a moment? I've been running for a while," he said as he doubled over and rested his hands on his knees.
I nodded and we waited for him to catch his breath. Once he was finished he gestured for me to follow him. He gave me an abridged tour of the station that was limited to the path we had to take. He explained what each place was and gave a brief history about it. Once we were outside the station-master's office he turned to me.
"By the way, I don't know if you know this but Nixt is a Kinran," he whispered. "He's very nice, though. Don't be afraid."
"I've served with Kinran before, it won't be a problem," I said with a smile.
It was a pretty fair warning. The Kinran would startle anyone who wasn't used to them, and some who were. It always felt like they shouldn't be able to move the way that they do. They're a perfect case for why you shouldn't judge solely on appearance because the majority of them were very polite and shy. As a matter of fact, a Kinran commander was a novelty.
In a way it made sense, because they could file paperwork faster than most commanders could. Their compound eyes and ten arms made it a breeze for them. Unfortunately their personality often conflicted with the duties of command. Namely, telling people what to do when they don't want to do it and disciplinary action. You also don't see them in soldier positions. Even though they could field more weaponry, the thought of taking another's life was often too much for them.
Bleenus nodded and ushered me inside. Nixt was sitting behind a circular desk designed to make the most of his limbs. The station master gestured for me to sit and Bleenus left us to talk.
"Hello, ship-head Uleena. Nice to meet you in person," he said.
"The feeling is mutual station-master Nixt," I said, wondering how he was going to broach the subject at hand.
"Let's talk about the aliens."
That was blunt.
"Yes," I said. "First, the ship is called the USSS Thanatos and it is a carrier."
"A carrier of what?" he asked.
"A carrier of other space-faring vessels. Specifically, ten frigates. They also consider it to be their diplomatic vessel."
"Ten... frigates?" he asked. His limbs and mandibles twitched nervously. That was the only way you could tell that a Kinran was shocked, aside from their voice. They don't have eyelids or eyebrows to raise. You also couldn't tell where they were looking because they were looking everywhere. Compound eyes.
"Yes. They come in peace, though. Their war vessels are much more terrifying," I said, remembering what I had seen.
"I take it they are a very advanced race?" Nixt said.
"Races. There are multiple. The second thing is that they represent another galactic governing entity known as the United Systems."
"There's another Republic?" his limbs twitched even more frequently.
"I'm not sure if the US is a republic or not. I know they have multiple governing agencies. One of which is called The Directorate. They run the military. One of the Directors is aboard the Thanatos and will be handling first contact," I said, knowing what the reaction would be.
"Their military handles their first contact?" he asked in a shrill voice. I was going to give this poor Kinran heart failure.
"Yes, but they have good reason for that. Their side of the galaxy is a little bit harsher than ours, and they've had to fight for survival very hard. I assure you that they come in peace, and if we play our cards right they'll help us with the Omni-Union. They've already begun planning an invasion of OU space."
He held up eight of his limbs to stop me, "Okay, okay. Hold on. Before you continue I want you to know that I brought you up here to ask you for a favor."
"What would that be?" I asked with a genuine confusion.
"First Contact Protocol dictates that any meetings done with aliens must involve a Republic diplomat and whoever governs the system that the meeting takes place in. Meaning... me," He paused. "I am a Kinran and we're known for our off-putting appearance and timid nature. The exact opposite of what you want in a diplomat."
I nodded my understanding.
"The thing is, there is a provision that exempts Kinran from this duty for that reason. So the duty falls to whomever I elect it to. I want you to do it," Nixt said as he gestured to me with two limbs.
"I'm not in your chain of command, station-master," I said.
"I know, and I would have my intel-head do it but I want her on scanners just in case something terrible happens. I've already cleared it with the diplomatic corps. Since you're not under my command, I'm asking rather than telling, though," he twiddled his limbs nervously.
"Yeah. Okay I'll do it. They already know me quite well so it shouldn't be a problem," I said, consigned to my fate. I never, ever, in all of my life wanted to be a diplomat.
"Thank you!" he jumped forward and shook my hand. I managed to suppress my natural reaction at this and shook his grasper.
As he took his seat again he said, "Good, good. The diplomat will be here in two days. Should we quarantine part of the station and grant the aliens access?"
"The Thanatos has very good amenities and is well-stocked. They'll likely decline an invitation to the station. They want a truce as much as we need one, and less can go wrong if they remain aboard their ship. Still, it wouldn't be a bad idea to extend an invitation to show peaceful intentions. They know how freaked out we are by their tech and... ways."
Nixt nodded and said, "Gotcha. Alright, we'll extend an invitation and see. Also, command wants a full report from you as soon as possible. They're willing to forego a full debrief in light of the present circumstances, but they still need their paperwork."
"Understood, I'll do as soon as I can."
Nixt gave me the unnerving Kinran equivalent of a smile, "So, ship-head, tell me about what happened."
"Alright. We were sent to investigate some warp fluctuations..." I began my tale.
Comments
Nate
Picking back up after having been stopped since chapter 11. You do not disappoint. I love your writing.
