Eric Olafson, First Journeys (Vol 2)
Copyright© 2018 by Vanessa Ravencroft
Chapter 24: Yokuta Salad
I saw the Yokuta running towards the podium, and my first response was to the dagger they had given us with the uniform. Of course, I had a blaster, but my reflexes were still geared toward sword and knife.
A burning foreign thought exploded like a yell in my mind. “Stop!” It was a telepathic command, and while it was given, I knew it had been said by a commanding officer. My hand froze, perhaps a microsecond before I was to throw.
The Yokuta ripped off his snouted gray head, ears, and skin and all and revealed a black Nogoll, and he screamed. “Don’t shoot! I surrender! There are others like me with AM bombs, and there are some in the ship!”
Two figures shimmered into existence next to the Nogoll, two Ultra Marines in full Destroyer suits, deactivating their active camouflage Holo cloak. I saw many more appear all over the place, containing individual Yokuta in stasis fields. It all happened with lightning speed and silently. The voice in my head said, “Awesome reaction, Cadet, but you can put your dagger away, and you know it is not regulation to carry the ceremonial dagger on your back, tugged away under your tunic!”
I was so used to Tyr and Egill’s telepathic communications that I answered without speaking, “Sorry, Sir!”
There was a small pause. “How did you get away with it at uniform inspection?””
“The Auto dresser gave me weapon options, and I chose a second dagger where I always carry my throwing knife, Sir.”
“I also notice you have lots of experience in telepathic communication. I will keep an eye on you. Now we need to sort things out here and brief the Yokuta!”
“The ship, Sir!”
“No worries. No one gets aboard the Union Flag ship even on a sightseeing tour without being scanned to the last body cell!”
The Yokuta and everyone else watched Marines and soldiers in dark blue armor suits take the hidden mountain base on the big screens, and Admiral Stahl himself leading the assault! He was only recognizable by the lettering on his Destroyer suit and the four stars stenciled on the huge shoulder pieces. Only the comments of the off-screen commentators were heard. “A special task force of Marines and Navy units was and is searching for remaining Nogoll units ever since the last transmission of the First Billie tipping us off that there were independent units still out there. From captured ship data, we knew about the expanse and the secret rally point. Admiral Stahl, along with the just refurbished and updated Devastator, followed up on a series of long-range sensor contacts, found two landed Nogoll capital ships in the neighboring system Rohlo. The crews of these ships, after surrendering, divulged that a group of officers and elite soldiers had returned to Arlicherb. Special Forces units were dispatched to find the suicide bombers and were found and neutralized in the last moment.
“Now, alongside local Yokuta Police Units, a final assault is made on the hidden mountain base, and I can confirm right now that Yokuta security units have successfully arrested or neutralized the remaining Nogoll infiltrators.”
The image showed Yokuta in borrowed Union Battle suits guiding ten Nogoll out of a smoking cave entrance.
Since we still stood on the platform and behind the Old Man of the Fleet, we could hear him mutter, “I wonder how he does it, stealing my thunder all the time!”
He stepped behind the lectern and addressed the stunned and silent Yokuta crowds. “I am just getting the final reports, and it turned out that local authorities acted fast and decisively, requesting Union gear.”
There was a short pause, and he continued: “I can confirm the last Nogoll threat has been eliminated by heroes of your police force.”
A thunderous cheer rose from the multitudes.
It took a while for everything to settle down again, and the Yokuta leaders decided to continue as planned with the question-and-answer session.
The first questions were directed to the Elly in our group. Someone asked how the Elly ended up on the Union side and how they felt about their membership, and they answered very positively. The tallest of the Elly, who had shown considerable knowledge in local space sector politics, answered most of the questions in a very educated and precise manner. To my surprise, it was Ninio who put one of his arms around my shoulder and his other on Pure and said, “What Deadan said is all true, but these are political and other important matters. I find the best thing about the Union and the fleet is the wonderful friends you can make. I really like those Attikan, love the Garbini who still owes me a squiggle. That is a furry tentacle hug of a female Garbini if you ever want to know.” Looking at me, he said, “and this human is as good a friend as you can make in a week.”
“Where are you from, human?” A question was directed at me, and I told them that I was from Nilfeheim and I had to describe my world in a few sentences. Then someone asked, “How do you feel about non-humans, Elly or Garbini, for example?”
I shrugged. “I knew very little about the Garbini and met Ninio only a few days ago. I don’t have any opinion on the Elly as a species; I know way too little about them to have an opinion. A mentor and teacher of mine always said, ‘Judge only if you have all the facts.’” Then I grinned and said, “I think Ninio is a practical joker with a great sense of humor, and I think we are on the way to be very good friends...”
Ninio pushed me a little from the side. “He got me figured out alright. I can’t resist a good prank, but Eric is always willing to help and share; he is one of the reasons ten strangers are on their way to become good friends.”
One of the Elders said, “I still would like to know what you think about us. I know you don’t want to judge and you know little about us, but everybody forms some kind of opinion and usually right away. We Yokuta value honesty above false compliments, so don’t be afraid to be frank.”
“Well, if the Yokuta eat the same or similar things as the Elly, I am not sure I would like to eat or smell the food, and I don’t think I will be a great fan of Yokuta music, but other than that. It’s a nice, orderly planet, and the people don’t strike me as particularly special. You still eat, sleep, drink, and breathe the same air. In my short time away from home, I met a methane breather with tentacles, and Two-Three over there was born inside a star. I haven’t seen much of your world or your civilization to really have an opinion, but I somehow think you are more or less just like us.”
There was a pause of silence, and I feared I had caused some major problem, but then laughter erupted, and one of the Officials spread his arms. “This is why we have this tradition. You are not trained diplomats; you say it as you see it, and your argument is very true. We are quite average and don’t stand out at all. I was one of the most vocal skeptics until now, but I will vote for an admission now.” He pointed at his trunk. “Don’t be concerned about the food. Human, we love our cousins the Elly, but at least I can’t stand their stink food either. You will have a chance to sample our food later.”
Two-Three now had to describe his home, and even I was fascinated by its answers. The way Two-Three described his birthplace was incredible and truly alien.
Every Cadet had to answer questions, and the whole thing dragged on for at least four hours. Ninio was just saying, “I frankly hope you join so I can hear wonderful Yokuta music all the time and maybe even record traditional Elly Funtuty songs in Yokuta style. Eric just doesn’t know what he is missing.” Ninio made a gesture with his arms, which I thought might be a shrug, and added, “I think if you don’t join the Union, you lose out. That’s all I can say.”
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