Chapter 14

Captain Anders fiddled with his collar, glancing back at the honour guard that stood to attention at his flanks. He didn’t expect any danger, but a bit of muscle would hopefully add a little flare to inspire his welcoming committee.

Doctor Cairns had hailed him over the intercom, informing him that the Balokarid Kith had successfully gotten her translator installed, and wished to formally speak with him. He’d cleared the bridge, the control surfaces that filled the space mostly clear save for a few critical navigators, the arch-shaped window dominating the northern face of the bridge illuminating his command centre with a soft, purple glow.

He didn’t exactly have a red carpet to roll out for the aliens, but he did all he could with his limited resources. The soldiers in their pressurized armour, their coil rifles glinting in the light that spilled in through the canopy, carried enough of a presence to warrant security and safety. A squad of them were lined up in two even rows, creating an aisle that faced the bridge’s main doors.

Anders hadn’t been there when the talks with the Suvelians had gone down, everyone who was would be long gone by now, but the repercussions were fresh on everyone’s mind, especially now that another sentient race had entered the game. He couldn’t screw this up, not just because Senator Estera would have his head if he did, but because the Hub needed more friends than enemies right now. He just prayed that the Balokarids could see the difference between a Hub citizen and a Confederate one, if they even recognised the concept...

He adjusted his gloves as the waiting dragged on, until finally the main doors slid open, a group of figures walking through. His soldiers squared their shoulders in disciplined synchronicity, the navigators looking away from their displays to stand to attention.

There was the Kith, the alien pilot Mezul, and their armed guard, all following behind Lieutenant Hall. The aliens dwarfed the Lieutenant by a good foot or two, their powerful legs clad in a silver, alien polymer, their three-toed feet clicking against the metal floor as they stalked forward, their beaks turning curiously around at all the machinery.

They glanced at the armed men present, their headdresses rolling and moving in a way that came off as cautious. He noted the alien that carried the long, metal rod that eerily resembled a rifle, clutched at their weapon a little tighter with their four-fingered hands, Anders worried that perhaps he’d gone a little overboard with the armed presence. He’d always been one to prefer a show of force.

The Lieutenant snapped Anders a quick salute, stepping aside to let the aliens approach on their own. The Balokarids moved through towards him, Anders clasping his hands behind his back as he addressed the alien leader with a nod.

“Welcome to the bridge, Kith, I trust the surgery went smoothly?” He noted the long scar trailing down the alien’s neck between a line of feathers that had been cut loose, the scar disappearing beneath the metal collar of her spacesuit.

“Very smoothly, thank you,” the alien replied, her voice peculiar with its clarity. It was deep but distinctly female, a touch of an American accent in her words. “Your medical science is as impressive as your warship.”

“Thank you, Kith. Your technology is equally inspiring. I’ve watched Lieutenant Hall’s field reports numerous times, your Sala’ci protection fields are very sturdy.”

“Humans call them shields, yes?” the Kith asked. “They’ve saved us from countless attacks, both in and out of vacuum.”

“May I ask how you created this technology?” Anders asked, raising a plaintive hand. His aids had implored him to be more polite than usual. “Us humans have never developed shielding advanced enough to withstand high-calibre fire.”

The Kith’s headdress twitched in startlement. “This surprises me, Captain, considering the human technology I’ve seen so far. We discovered the barrier modules, we did not invent them, just refined them to our uses. On the borders of our home system was an alien wreckage containing this technology. It resembled a Balokarid, but was made entirely of an alloy unknown to us, abandoned and with no trace of its original creators.”

“A wreckage?” Anders asked, his brow raised. “Was it a machine, as tall as one of your carriers?”

“You know of this derelict?” the Kith asked, her eyes widening. “Have you seen the Balokar system?”

“No, but we’ve seen other wrecks just like the one you’ve described. Dozens of them, with thousands more out there in the Galaxy, just drifting along like abandoned ships. We break down their materials and technology and use it for ourselves.”

“Thousands?” the Kith breathed. “Our single derelict contained enough material to construct multiple carriers. I’m assuming humans are not their creators?”

“No, and nobody knows who put them there. Some think some ancient alien race left them behind, but all we’ve got are theories.”

“We Balokarids are not sure whether to be impressed by such powerful machinations, or fearful,” the Kith mused. “But I did not come aboard your bridge to discuss alien machines, forgive me for going off-topic.”

Anders was surprised this alien, one that was large enough it could knock him out with a single punch with its dinner-plate-sized hands, was being so submissive, the man waving a hand. “It’s no bother. I’m honoured to have the chance to represent the Hub to an ali ... a Balokarid, whatever questions you have, I or any of my crew would be more than glad to answer when the time arrives.”

The Kith smiled, at least, it pulled the edges of its beak up in an approximation of one. “Likewise, Captain, we are just as interested in your people. Has the human Lambert discussed our clan’s capabilities with you?”

“I’ve read his reports, seen the recordings,” Anders replied, feeling like he hadn’t really answered the alien’s question.

“So you will accept our proposal for consolidation?” the Kith asked, Anders raising a brow in surprise.

“I wasn’t under the impression we’ve been making deals, Kith.”

“But have our fleets not met under the banner of mutual coalescence?” she asked, her questioning eyes roaming his. “It was my understanding that the human Lambert brought us to you for this very purpose?”

Anders looked across the room at the Lieutenant, who shrugged in confusion. “I’m not sure what it is the Lieutenant promised you,” he said, giving the pilot a look. “but whatever agreements we can make, the final say remains with me and my staff.”

Her beak drooped into a frown, Shaliyya turned to address one of the other aliens. “You told me you toured the ship with him, Mezul.”

“I did,” the alien replied, speaking in English for the sake of the humans present. She glanced at the Lieutenant. “You remember, don’t you Lambert?”

All eyes in the room fell on the pilot, the man silently asking Anders if he could speak. He nodded, Lambert starting out slowly. “I remember you showed me parts of your ship, how you guys live and work.”

“But you were satisfied with our capabilities, yes?” Mezul asked. “that was the impression I got from you.”

The Lieutenant wasn’t quite sure how to respond, Anders quickly cutting in. “I think there has been a misunderstanding. Kith Shaliyya, would you explain to me what consolidation means?”

“That is a word you understand, yes?” she asked. “Unless my translator is malfunctioning.”

“I understand it, but your definition may be different to our own. Try and imagine I’ve never heard the word before.”

“Very well,” the Kith replied, clasping her hands together. “When a clan becomes too weak to stand on its own, it may ask for consolidation from its allies or opponents. The Kith of another clan can decide that if the weakened clan is worth absorbing than eradicating, they may gauge the clan’s culture to help in deciding. When Mezul reported to me that the human Lambert wished to see more of my ship, I assumed he wanted to consider us for consolidation, and I gave her the go ahead to let him wander, and see for himself our capabilities of production, and efficiency. Was this not the reason for you wanting to explore my ship, human Lambert?”

“No, well, I...” Lambert cleared his throat. “Honestly, I just wanted to see what it all looked like.”

As if the translators weren’t working, the aliens stared at the

Lieutenant, Shaliyya blinking her large eyes at him, turning her gaze back to Anders. “Then, you have no clue about our situation?

Humans attack us in force, yet your clan is ignorant of our plight?”

“We haven’t seen another ship in weeks, news travels slowly out here,” Anders said. “We weren’t even under the impression the

UEC was at war with you, let alone that you even existed.”

“Then ... why are we here?” Shaliyya asked, raising her hands at the rows of soldiers. “Why bring me aboard your ship, go through all this trouble to install translators?”

Anders opened his mouth to reply, when a high-pitched beep interrupted him, the noise very loud on the sparsely populated bridge. He turned, watching one of the remaining bridge staff interact with her console as the claxon repeated.

“What is it, Private?” he asked, tapping his heeled boot as the navigator paused before replying.