Chapter 17

Everyone was discussing what had happened, as I knocked on the table to get everyone’s attention. “Alright, 3M is almost done with his medical exam, has everyone examined the items I’ve conjured?” I asked the group gathered around the conference table.

“Yes, we have some pretty sophisticated electronics, but nothing completely revolutionary. The photonic chips are cool, but I don’t see any major new applications in their use. Digital processing is still digital processing, no matter the speeds,” Dee reported.

“The communication equipment is good, but it uses the same principals we already know, just better encryption, which is more a function of processing power than skills in mathematics,” Big T reported.

“The hand weapons are lethal but designed for use in space. They fire needles that are unable to penetrate the hull of ships, but are effective against unarmored targets. They have a terrible range, but on a ship that probably is fine,” Val reported.

“The ship’s all seem to use either a needle spar, or be local transports only. We have recorded 8 ships leaving, and 12 arriving, all spar designs. They all move out beyond 7 light seconds of the hub before leaving,” 3M reported.

“Any luck on figuring out the space drive?” I asked.

“No, it runs on electricity, really a lot of it too, and seems to be some sort of gravity drive. We can make it run, but we don’t know how to make one yet, or even have a guess at how it works,” Big T said.

“Based on what I see while they run around out there, it’s some sort of quantum gravity phenomenon, similar to the way the spars bend space,” I said.

“I’ve identified one of the bright stars, I believe that it is rather close to the hub,” Odin announced.

“That’s fantastic, where are we?” I asked.

“About 300 light years from Earth, inward along the local arm.”

“That’s great! I’m sticking pearls on every ship with a needle spar, so we can track them back to their place of origin. Kark said only the really big ships move from hub to hub, keep an eye out for one of those.”

I adjourned the meeting, and turned to Val at the conference table on the hub, “You’re next, 3M is returning now.”

She nodded nervously. 3M stepped into the conference room, and removed his helmet. Mike had decided since he was security he would leave his helmet on after his exam. He took a deep breath, then said, “Smells funny, kind of spicy, but very breathable.”

The door to the side opened, and Kark stepped in. His eyes swiveled around on his big head, and I could see his chest moving rapidly. He turned towards the unhelmeted 3M, and leapt high.

His mouth widened impossibly huge, as he tried to fit all of 3M down his throat in the same bite as he landed. Val strode towards him, backhanding him with a single blow that sent him across the deck, and off of 3M.

I rushed to 3M holding onto him, and healing the wounds across his face and neck with my powers. Two pink robed attendants rushed into the room, wrapping their elephant trunk like arms around Kark as he tried to leap up and eat 3M again. Mike pulled his side arm, and fired into Karks leg, severing his ability to jump, by severing the leg. The two struggling attendants finally dragged him from the room. As the door shut behind them a third entered from another door.

“What the hell was that?” I asked.

“Our apologies. It seems that Kkarkkenik experienced a feeding frenzy when exposed to the scent of Thremm.”

“Is that what happened? I thought he just went crazy.”

“It is a form of madness. Only one of the species native to his home world has survived the feeding frenzy pheromonal instinct. Even then they are carefully bred in captivity by females who are immune. His krooker was ineffective in stifling the scent and his urges.”

“What’s a krooker?” Val asked.

She lifted a limb, and taped the top of her bald head, where his skull cap had sat. “His hormonal filter. Kkarkkenik will be very embarrassed. Does your member need medical care?”

“No, I treated him. May I ask your name?”

“I am 436,” she said.

“You are the one who accompanied us on the ship, correct?”

Her eyes grew large. “Yes, how do you recognize me?”

“You were the first of your kind I ever met. What species are you?”

“I am of the unbound,” she said proudly.

“And what is your home world called?”

“The unbound have no home world, we live here on Poolnar Hub. We are born here, we grow here, work here, live here, die here. Poolnar Hub is our home.”

“Are you members of the Federation?”

“I’m sure there is a system somewhere with our people that is in the Federation, but the unbound of Poolnar do not belong to a system.”

“So who protects your interests in the Federation?” I asked.

“The Federation of course. If the unbound were unhappy trade would grind to a halt in the galaxies.”

“So you have a union?” 3M asked, as he sat up, and put his helmet back on.

“I do not know that term. The unbound pride themselves on being able to do all necessary work on Poolnar Hub. There is no equipment that we cannot operate on the hub, and no unbound that would refuse any work order from the Federation.”

I warned the others to drop the questions for now, and double checked 3M. “You’re fine 3M, get up off the floor,” I told him.

“Are there any others of his species on the hub?” I asked.

“He has his extended family, they live in the Klirkk branch.”

“Does he have a whole section of the hub to himself?”

“Oh no, the Klirkk branch has only a few thousand of his family members. Full member systems can purchase habitat rights for their members to live and work here. They bring their own modules to attach to the hub. Many of the members who work in supervisory positions live in the member branches. Few of the traders live here permanently, instead they come and go from their home systems.”

“What about the ship builders.”

“The AI mostly handles that, but some residents assist with design work.”

“Can we access the AI? I have many many questions.”

“You already do,” she said, “The AI is responsible for translating as we speak.”

“How do I ask the AI questions?”

“Direct inquiries to Poolnar,” she said, “please excuse me, I am needed elsewhere. Your next member may now pass thru medical screening. Call for an unbound if you need assistance, no one will bother you until you request it,” she turned, picked up the leg, and left the room, the door siding shut behind her.