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 go for the dagger they had given us with the uniform. 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 when it was given I knew it had been issued by a commanding officer. My hand froze a second before I was going to throw.
The Yokuta ripped off his snouted gray head, ears and skin and revealed a black Nogoll. He screamed, “Don’t shoot! I surrender! There are others like me here with AM bombs and there are other Nogoll aboard your ship!”
Two figures shimmered into existence next to the Nogoll, two Ultra Marines in full Destroyer suits, deactivating their active camouflage holo cloaks. I saw many more appear all around, placing individual Yokuta in stasis fields. It all happened with lightning speed and in silence. The voice in my head said, “Awesome reaction Cadet, but you can put your dagger away. You know it’s not regulation to carry the ceremonial dagger on your back, tucked 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 autodresser gave me weapon options and I choose a second dagger where I always carry my throwing knife, Sir.”
“I also notice you have lots of experience in telepathic communication. I’ll keep an eye on you. Now we need to sort things out here and brief the Yokuta!”
“The ship, Sir!”
“Don’t worry. No one gets aboard the Union flagship, even on a sightseeing tour, without being scanned to the last body cell!”
The Yokuta and all of us watched on the big screens as Marines and soldiers in dark blue armor suits took the hidden mountain base and Admiral Stahl himself was leading the assault! He was only recognizable by the lettering on his Destroyer suit and the four stars stenciled on the huge shoulder bars. Only the comments of the off-screen commentators were heard.
“A special task force of Marines and Navy units has been searching for remaining Nogoll units since the last transmission of the First Billie tipped them off that there were independent units still out there. From captured ship data the Union knew about the Nogolls’ movements and their secret rally point. Admiral Stahl, along with the just refurbished and updated Devastator, followed up on a series of long range sensor contacts and found two landed Nogoll capital ships in the neighboring system, Rohlo. After surrendering, the crews of these ships divulged that a group of officers and elite soldiers had returned to Arlicherb. Special Forces units were dispatched to search for the suicide bombers, who were found and neutralized at the last moment.
“Right now, alongside local Yokuta police units, a final assault is being made on a hidden mountain base, and I can now confirm 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 every time!”
He stepped behind the lectern and addressed the stunned and silent Yokuta crowds. “I’m just getting the final reports and I’ve been informed that local authorities acted quickly and decisively.”
There was a short pause and he continued, “I can now 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 Ellies in our group. Someone asked how the Ellies ended up on the Union side and how they felt about their membership, and they answered positively. The tallest of the Ellies, the one who had showed considerable knowledge in local space sector politics, answered most of the questions in an educated and precise manner. To my surprise, Ninio 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 matters. I find the best thing about the Union and the Fleet is the wonderful friends you can make. I really like these Attikans. I love the Garbini, who still owes me a squiggle. That’s a furry tentacle hug from a female Garbini if you were curious.” 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?” The question was directed at me and I told them that I was from Nilfeheim, then I had to describe my world in a few sentences. Someone else asked, “How do you feel about non-Humans, Ellies or Garbini for example?”
I shrugged. “I knew little about the Garbini and met Ninio only a few days ago. I don’t have any opinion on the Ellies 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’re on the way to becoming very good friends...”
Ninio pushed me a little from the side. “He’s got me figured out alright, I can’t resist a good prank, but Eric is always willing to help and share, he’s one of the reasons ten strangers are on their way to becoming 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 Ellies, I’m not sure I’d like to eat or smell your food, and I don’t think I’ll ever be a great fan of Yokuta music. Other than that, it’s a nice orderly planet, and the people don’t strike me as particular special. You all eat, sleep, drink and breathe the same air. In my short time away from home I’ve 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’re 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’re not trained diplomats, you say it as you see it and your argument is true. We’re quite average and don’t stand out at all. I was one of the most vocal skeptics until now, but I’ll vote for admission now.”
He pointed at his trunk and continued, “Don’t be concerned about the food, Human, we love our cousins the Ellies but I can’t stand their stinking food either. You’ll have a chance to sample our food later.”
Two-Three now had to describe his home and I was fascinated by his 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 four hours. Ninio said, “I frankly hope you join so I can hear your wonderful Yokuta music all the time and maybe even record traditional Elly Funtuty songs played in the Yokuta style. Eric just doesn’t know what he’s missing.” Ninio made a gesture with his arms that I thought might be a shrug and added, “I think If you don’t join the Union you’ll lose out. That’s all I can say.”
Instead of asking questions about Union membership and the Union itself, the next twenty or so questions were all about Funtuty songs and music, and my worst fear came true. The band couldn’t be stopped. They started playing and every Yokuta I could see, and maybe everyone watching the broadcast, started singing and tooting their trunks. Finally, the Speaker of the Officials ended the horror by resuming taking questions and asked the callers to refrain from music questions. The Garbini had to describe and demonstrate a squiggle and she was only too happy to comply. It all turned out to be one long, mushy and boring affair and I hoped it would be over soon.
I had completely forgotten about Bennett Waite, but as I turned, more by chance than anything else, to see what Two-Three was doing, I saw Waite with a drawn blaster aiming at the Admiral or the Elly who stood by the lectern. I rushed the four steps distance to him as fast as I could, and chopped the edge of my hand on his wrist with as much force as I dared. He triggered the beam, either out of pain or reflex, and the bright energy bolt went straight into the wooden decking of the platform, only a meter or so behind the Admiral’s feet. Waite must have had some sort of combat training as he drew his dagger with his other hand after his blaster dropped to the floor. I was too close to deflect it, so I turned hoping he’d stab me in the arm and not in the stomach as he had aimed, the burning pain in my arm told me it had worked. I was still in motion too and hammered my palm under his chin, with as much force as I could muster. He collapsed but stopped in mid-fall, as if frozen, as two Marines and man in a Psi Corps uniform appeared.
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