17: Meeting the Neighbors

To be truly good means more than not robbing people.
To be truly good means being a good neighbor.
And to be a good neighbor means recognizing
that there are ultimately no strangers.
Everybody is my neighbor! Everybody is my brother!

Brian D. McLaren

“Light up both ships, One,” Al instructed. “The drones are close enough they’ll hear us live as we’re speaking, but we’ll wait till they can see us before I surprise them.”

“By waiting until we’re near so Zita can reach out to individuals telepathically, you’ve assured it won’t take long. I’ll alert you when we’re ready.”

“Though we’re still too far to connect with anyone,” she reminded him.

“Understood, but if we’re too close, they’ll freak out. This is better, though we’re walking a fine line while taking a few chances. We’re forced to communicate in Trilck initially, which helps with the element of surprise. However, I’m hoping when I switch to Ordwii, it’ll help cement our capabilities in their minds.”

“We’re visible, but it will be a while before anyone spots us,” the One advised. “Their planetary alert system won’t likely detect us visually, as the hull absorbs light.”

Al shook his head. “It’s better if they get confirmation of our presence after we establish communications, for the full effect.”

“Here’s hoping,” Gary countered. “You’re gonna have to do a lot of fast talking to convince them with this many negatives stacked against us.”

Al shrugged. “I’ve handled worse. I thrive on challenges. I’m good at convincing people, what I struggle with is going into situations where I’m unaware of vital details and things start unraveling. If it’s something I’m responsible for, I can account for and counteract them.”

“I don’t doubt it, as you have a tremendous record with this type of thing. I’m just reminding you we’re piling on scary elements, rather than communicating while still far enough away for them not to panic.”

“Hello, Irrq Ground Control? This is Captain Al of the ... well, never mind who we are. We were in the neighborhood, speaking with the Tissk after destroying one of their Elder Ones’ vessels. We warned them we won’t allow them to bully other worlds, and thought we’d stop by and introduce ourselves.”

“They don’t seem to be responding,” Zita replied after several minutes passed with no response.”

“Well, it’s unusual, but I wouldn’t worry. After all, we’re essentially cold-calling a strange planet for a casual drop by. That’s expecting a lot. They probably want to fix the place up before answering.”

“Then again,” Gary pointed out, “we show up in an unknown warship, speaking Trilck and demanding an informal chat. It likely takes the Tissk’s fastest ships months to approach after entering the system. They’d normally have time to consider how to respond before establishing communications.”

“Captain Al of the Never Mind, could you repeat that?”

He grinned in triumph before answering. “Sure, we were nearby after visiting the Tissk, and thought we’d pop in for a visit.”

This declaration was met with silence for several long moments.

“Who is this?”

He sighed. “This may take a while.” Al cleared his throat, and resumed speaking slower than before. “This is Captain Al Collins. We represent a loose collection of species traveling in technically advanced vessels. We visited the Tissk, returning their prisoners of war after destroying one of their battleships, where we made them a proposal. In exchange for halting their abuse of systems like yours, we’ll open trade in leading-edge technologies with them. We figured, since we were nearby, we may as well offer you the same deal.”

“So ... you’re not Tissk yourself?”

“Heavens, no,” Al said, waving at Zita, urging her to hurry her telepathic connection attempts so they could communicate more efficiently. “We’re not fond of the buggers, but I’m unfamiliar with ... Ordwii. We offered them our technology first, in exchange for surrendering their weapons. But, to make the offer effective, it helps if there’s some healthy competition. That’s where you come in.”

“You ... want to give the Tissk more advanced weaponry to terrorize our worlds, while making side deals at the same time?”

“You misunderstand our intentions. We’re not giving them additional firepower, merely tools beneficial to trade. The offer is only valid if they abandon their offensive weapons and surrender them to us so we can dispose of them. They’re still considering our deal, but we have no intention of providing them any technology dangerous to anyone else. Though we are offering you defensive devices necessary to halt their attacks. We left before they could respond to consider it. Now, we’re giving you an even better arrangement. Whoever acts first gets the best deal, as it’ll help influence everyone else.”

“And what, exactly, is this ‘deal’ you’re offering?” the ground control official asked, more than a little skeptical.

“After travelling from a distant galactic empire, and ending a war between them and another equally vast empire, we’re building a home on a nearby world. Ideally, we’d like to construct a spaceport large enough to build replacement ships similar to ours. However, we need raw materials to do it. Rather than wasting time mining comets, we’re willing to trade technology which far surpasses anything the Tissk possess.”

“Wait,” another voice said, struggling with the unfamiliar Trilck. “You ‘bandon negotiate Tissk, answer ‘fore?”

“There, you are paying attention.” Zita flagged him, indicating she’d established contact. “Yeah. Just to prove we were serious, we kinda melted one of their planets. So we figured they’d need time to consider how to respond.”

“Hold on,” the first speaker objected. “You defeated a Tissk warship. Then visited their world, uninvited, and ... melted one of their worlds, only to turn around and leave?” He paused, preparing himself. “Are you insane?”

“Not at all,” Al said in passable Ordwii with a distinct Human accent, before switching back. “It was a very small planetoid, devoid of life. We also can’t ‘melt’ larger, inhabited planets, but ... We could with their capital. It would not only destroy it, but generate sufficient heat to evaporate any nearby water, produce massive earthquakes and volcanoes, and bury their remains under a mile of hot magma ... if needed.”

“And they ... let you wipe out an entire world without responding?”

“If you know Ordwii, why talk Tissk?” someone else inquired in their native tongue.

“Oh, they broadcast a message, but we didn’t bother listening,” Al replied, speaking slowly, as Zita helped formulate responses. “After leaving the one planet smoldering, we delivered our terms. Before they could respond, we came here to give them time to discuss our ultimatum. But to answer your question, I’m learning Ordwii on the fly, which makes it harder answering in full sentences.”

“And you’re here to demand tribute for yourself—from us—instead of them?”

“No, you’re still not grasping our message.” Al took a moment, structuring his response. When he resumed, he spoke slowly in halting Ordwii. “We come in peace, and we’re offering ... entirely peaceful ... choices. We’re demanding nothing, and are not ... affiliated with the Tissk ... in any way. We’re proposing a fair exchange. We’re asking for the, uh ... resources to supply every world in this ... sector with vital ... technological advancements, making everyone richer than you’ve ever ... dreamed. You can set your own terms, as we’re ... eager to get started. You can also select whatever you want, offer whichever supplies you can ... afford, and we’ll ... negotiate the details. We’re not interested in forcing anyone, including the Tissk. This is an open ... negotiation between separate, independent worlds.”

“What game are you playing? Clearly you speak fluent Ordwii, yet insist on using the vile tongue!”

“Again, it’s the result of our advanced technology,” he answered, reverting to Tissk. “We have devices which translate your language into ours on the fly, though I’m still struggling with the syntax.”

“Though you speak it more naturally than the Tissk ever have.”

“They never gave a damn about you, only what they could steal. We’re offering you the means of throwing off their tyranny, but we’re still learning your ways.”

“Getting back to the vital issue,” the first ground control operator insisted, “how do we know they won’t follow you here? They might appear at any moment, with a vast armada and destroy both you and us.”

“Don’t worry,” he ventured, speaking in Ordwii again. We just left, so it’s been, let me see, about a month in your local timeframe.”

There was silence once more before they responded.

“That’s impossible! No one can travel that fast. It violates every rule of the physical universe.”

“No, we do it using a few scientific principles you haven’t uncovered yet. But it’ll take months for the Tissk to leave their system, and even longer to organize a response. They’re also unable to track or target our ship. You’ve got nothing to worry about.”

There was no answer, but the crew could hear them arguing in hushed tones in the background. Finally someone replied.

“What sorts of technology are you offering?”

“I’m glad you asked,” Al said in slightly more natural Ordwii. “In order for this to work, you’ll need incredibly faster ships to reach our world quicker. In case you’re worried, the raw materials needn’t be yours. If you can trade someone for them, you can pass them on for whatever you want—within reason of course. We’re not fools. We’re just impatient, wanting to establish a major trading port at our new home. But we’re still considering what we should offer. If you get in on the ground floor, you can determine which technologies we’ll develop. By getting involved now, we’ll have no incentive to supply the Tissk with anything. If you hesitate, they can strike their own deal and access the technology before you or anyone else.”

“Again, I have to ask, are you mad?”

‘Al, this is Gurrstlk. I’ve got bad news.‘

‘Go ahead. I’m negotiating with the Irrq and struggling with their language, but I can do both at the same time. What happened?’

‘You’re in ... never mind. This is too vital to get distracted. They’ve argued about your offer/threat for a long time, quizzing us repeatedly about your capabilities. They’ve decided their best option is to strike while you’re not expecting it. Since they know where your new home is, they’re sending every available ship to destroy your world!‘

‘Well that’s disappointing. I was hoping they’d be open to reason, but if not, we’ll go with our alternate plan.‘

‘All out war?‘

‘It’s not quite that extreme, but it involves demonstrating their assumptions are inherently faulty. We made a tremendous offer to encourage them to modify their behaviors and voluntarily surrender their weapons. If they won’t, we can easily defeat their mightiest battleships.‘

‘Maybe a single vessel, but an entire armada?‘

‘I’m guessing they have no more than a dozen, possibly two, so it’s hardly a fleet. It’s only a few antiquated, worn out, abandoned craft well past their prime. What’s more, we can run rings around them. We extended an olive branch, suggesting the alternative was worse. But this works too. If we prove we can handily humiliate the Tissk, the other worlds will beat a path to our door. Excuse me a moment, I need to get back to the Irrq.‘

‘Uh ... sure.‘

“Gentlemen,” he continued in casual Ordwii in his normal cadence, “let me assure you, I’m not insane, but something has turned up. It seems the Tissk chose their destruction over a promising future, so I need to make arrangements.”

“They’re attacking?”

“Oh, heavens, no. As I said, they have no idea where we are. They’re planning a major assault on our new world, which doesn’t have any established defenses yet.”

“And you’re going to let them?”

“Definitely not. I like when people underestimate me, as it makes it easier to surprise them, but I’m no push over. Hold on a moment while I make some arrangements back home. This will only take a few seconds...”

‘Triznor, Siss, sorry to disturb you, but our negotiations with the Tissk didn’t quite go as planned. I need a favor.‘

‘Absolutely. What do you need?‘

‘It seems they’re intent on attacking Lamar, so we need to act before they enter open space, forcing us to hunt them down a ship at a time. If we respond rapidly, they’ll never make it out of their system, but you need to travel to their world to head them off.‘

‘Are you sure it’s wise abandoning our home and leaving it helpless if they’re planning an attack?’ Triznor asked, with a hint of desperation in her voice. ‘You certainly know what you’re doing, but it’ll leave us defenseless if a passing Tissk vessel happens by.‘

‘Ignore him, ‘ Siss urged. ‘You’re still not used to how Al likes to present information. Trust Lozzlint. He already has this all planned out. So what’s the deal?‘

‘First, let me reassure Triznor the settlement will be fine. Their weapons aren’t that significant. Even if one arrives before we return, it’ll take them a long time to reach the planet. We’ll undoubtedly return long before they can reach an effective attack range. What’s more, we’ve deployed communication drones throughout the Lamar system. Using a little creativity, the settlers can use them to convince a solitary aggressor we have a fleet of incoming ships to intercept them. Finally, our shuttles can run rings around their vessels. They can fire while they’re unable to respond, encourage the Tissk to advance, and then strike them from behind. They’re not a substantial threat. But we need to react quickly. Once their fleet hits open space, we’ll spend years tracking individual ships.‘

‘We get the idea, ‘ Siss agreed. ‘What’s the plan?‘

‘I’m planning a Torrsin, ‘ Al explained without elaborating.

‘You’re kidding? Can we get there in time to pull it off?‘

‘If you leave soon, you shouldn’t have any trouble reaching there in time. But it’ll be years before we return, so prepare everyone and give them the authority to do whatever they need to protect both Lamar and Gloolm.‘

‘I don’t understand, ‘ Triznor complained. ‘What’s a Torrsin?‘

‘It’s a place where the Zssizliq helped us out of a jam by launching a similar assault, ‘ Siss said. ‘It’s hard to describe, but horrendous to experience. We were under house arrest, but were called to their command center to interpret as it unfolded. It was devastating, and the Tissk will never forget it when we use it on them! We’ll leave once we advise everybody on what to expect. I knew we should have ignored Lozzlint’s guidance and sent Chich’k to help you negotiate. You like to undersell yourself, only to surprise everyone at the last moment. What you need is less tact and more blunt talk, instead you like disguising your true intent.‘

‘You can lecture me once you’re here. We’ll discuss the details later. I’m juggling several discussions at the moment.‘

‘Okay, you wrap those up while we prepare to join you.‘

‘Gurrstlk, keep me informed. I specifically need to know when they launch and how fast they’ll take to leave the system.‘

‘That’s what I figured. It will let you know how much time you have. I’ll alert you when they depart and when they reach the midpoint. You can figure out the rest on your own, as I have no way of calculating their speed when they’re steadily accelerating. Supreme Commander Illkk wants me to accompany them so I can translate as they gloat over your final demise.‘

‘It’s not a problem. According to Kclekt, they’re only capable of achieving specific speeds before engaging their faster-than-light jump drives. But let me be clear, do not board those ships under any circumstances. You’re too valuable. If anything, convince Illkk he needs you there to convey their success or report if we escape. He’s not accompanying them, is he?‘

‘Oh, assuredly not. He orders these missions, but doesn’t participate. There’s too much scheming going on. He’s terrified that if he’s not here to put people in their place, they’ll usurp power.‘

‘Terrific, you can play on those fears to ensure you remain on Tissk. If not, there’s no guaranteeing your safety.’

Finished plotting his retribution, Al returned to his original discussion.

“Sorry about that. It’s all done. We’ve planned the entire thing and set everything in motion, so let’s get back to the topic on hand. Are you interested in doing business? Again, we’re offering a fair deal, with extra for prompt attention, rather than demanding tribute with no added value.”

“Hold on, you were barely gone for long enough to blink twice. Where’s your home? How can you make plans, when everyone you’re supposedly talking to are dozens of light years apart?”

“They’re further than that, as our home is in the Goozmn system. We’re neighbors with the Glaznik. But once again, we’ve got access to technologies and knowledge you can’t imagine. But we use devices called aids,” Al said. “They allow us to communicate instantaneously over massive distances, and also counteract most diseases and multiply our natural lifespan by several factors. However, since we can no longer manufacture those intersystem links, we’re judicious in allocating them. Rather than giving them to bureaucrats who may be cast out of office, we prefer selecting suitable pilots. Someone who’s likely to travel to our world and warn us if they get in trouble so we can assist.”

“I’m sorry, but at this point, we’re not convinced you won’t get us killed. If you’ve overestimated your capabilities, we’ll be the ones to suffer—once you and your world are destroyed!”

Al considered it as everyone on the bridge watched, wondering what he’d arranged via his private links. “Okay, since we’re planning on intervening with the Tissk, how about you pick a ship to accompany us. That way, they can observe what unfolds, claiming to be impartial observers playing no role in the unfolding drama?”

“It still exposes us to retaliation if you’re defeated, but we’re willing to discuss it. You’re authorized access to our spaceport. Dock and we’ll work out the details. Meanwhile, we’ll try to find someone prepared to assume the risks you’re suggesting.”

“That’s all I ask. Believe me, you’ll recount this meeting the rest of your lives. This is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity to see a mighty power deposed and a cooperative interplanetary union arise. It will benefit everyone—aside from the Tissk, that is.”

__________
“Welcome to Wiilit, Irrq’s spaceport city, and our central worldwide trading hub,” someone declared in Ordwii, striding forward. “I’m the city’s mayor, Silvskr. Tyylr, our temporary World Commander, wanted to meet you, but couldn’t reach here in time. We realize you’re on a tight schedule.” He turned and motioned the others ahead. “This is Captain Yklyst. He has a ship ready, has traveled between systems and has some of the materials you requested. The other is Madam Kowsi, our Trade Minister. She can arrange for anything Yklyst can’t procure.”