Author: Robert Wagner
Category: Other
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Herra raised engine power until the ship was on the edge of vibrating out of her control. Briefly she wondered if they were leaving a trail of tiny parts behind them. They were plunging through the cloud cover now. Instead of trying to pull straight up Herra began to slid the ship sideways. Maybe they could skim the atmosphere and create enough drag and friction to stop. She activated the shields to protect them from burning up. They came online but only at ten percent. Guess she would find out if that would be enough.
"Ha, ha what a ride," came the jolly voice of Zayan from behind her. She didn't have a nanosecond to take her eyes off of what she was doing. How the man was still standing with the turbulence she didn't know.
"Zayan, get your ass strapped into the seat next to me," Herra barked.
Zayan did as he was told. Out of the corner of her eye she could see his child like expression as he buckled himself in. She shook her head. Well that's better than screaming his head off in panic. Strange but better.
Herra could see a body of water ahead. On its shores were a smattering of buildings. That gave her an idea. She held the bucking flight stick with one hand while momentarily getting the headset back on with the other. She called Kohora. His black and gold tinged face filled up her screen.
"I'm afraid it is too late to reconsider," he purred.
"Are you sure about that?" Herra sneered. "I see a village up ahead that is about to be downgraded to a hole in the ground." She wouldn't really take out innocents but Kohora didn't have to know she was bluffing.
"How did you change course? Your ship was barely functional." Kohora turned away from the screen. He was barking out something she couldn't make out. A few heartbeats later he came back on. "You speak the truth. Why would you?" His tone of superiority had slipped. Now he sounded almost pleading.
"Why not? I don't want to crash. I didn't put myself in this predicament. You did. How's that going to reflect on you when your superiors officers and your people investigate what happened here?"
Herra could now begin to make out individual buildings in the village. She kept her hands as steady as she could on the controls. At the last minute she planned to give the Dauntless engine full power and to head for the water. She was doubtful that they would survive but she couldn't think of any other options.
A blue light obscured the land that was rushing up to meet her. Dauntless jerked to a stop. Shields went to zero and that part of the board became red. She immediately killed engine power. She didn't want to burn them out straining against the Ishalan tractor beam that had stopped their fall.
Instead of the planet looming ahead of them, now it was the Ishalan space station. Kohora's ship had towed them back out into space and they now sat outside the rectangular slit in the structure that Herra assumed was the docking bay.
"We're about to cut off the tractor beam," Kohora informed. "Now that you demonstrated your capability to fly under your own power you will then proceed directly down the docking tunnel to bay nine. If you deviate at all from my instruction, we will open fire."
All talk of striking a deal had been absent from the discussion since Kohora kept them from smashing into the planet. Herra knew that he was just now waiting until Dauntless was inside the station and they were face to face.
"I would love to follow your directions, Kohora. I just have a tiny problem. Our docking clamps were ripped off. How would you like us to proceed now?" She spoke in the most non provoking tone she could manage. They did have them over a black hole right now.
Kohora said something that the computer couldn't translate. Probably a Ishalan curse that wasn't programmed into the data bank. "You try my patience, human. If you- very well. I will bring a shuttle over to you. You will have to space walk over to me. We will figure out what to do with your ship later."
Herra did not like that idea at all. Once off the ship, it was over for the humans. They would have no leverage. No way to escape. No one in the Earth governments knew where they were. The Ishalan had shown no hostility to Earth before but threatening to crash them into a planet had soured Herra's thoughts about trusting them. They could bring them aboard, kill them, and take every scrap of information from the Dauntless computer system and no one would ever know. There had to be another way.
"I'm not willing to leave my ship behind. I've got a crew who are inexperienced as well. They wouldn't do to well with such a risky maneuver."
Sanford broke in over the Dauntless comm system at the moment. "Herra, could I have a word with you. It's urgent."
Herra gave Kohora her biggest winning smile. "As you may have heard my medical officer has urgent need of me. Can you wait just one moment?"
She didn't wait for a reply and just killed transmission. Turning she found Virgil standing in the entrance to the bridge. He must have waited for his chance to come in.
"See you are as charming as always," he said as Herra stood up. Herra gave Virgil her very funny look.
"Zayan, clear out for Virgil. Virgil, if they contact us just be your usual self. That should get us real far. I'll be right back."
Herra slid right by Virgil and went to Sanford. She started right in on him. "I don't know if you're aware of this but we almost crashed and died. I'm in tense negotiations with a Ishalanian trying to make sure we don't die some other way. What is it doctor?"
"Are you done?" Sanford asked, like he was talking to a child having a tantrum.
Herra crossed her arms and shifted her legs. "I'm listening."
"I'll let your rant slid, Herra. I do know it's been a stressful day. I have also heard we're heading to that station." Sanford pointed to the port window across the room. "I also know that our docking clamps are destroyed. That just leaves us the choice of being towed in."
"That actually wasn't a choice given to us. I didn't know they could do that. They said we would have to board a shuttle via space walk."
Sanford nodded his head. "Yes, they would do that. The Ishalan are a private race. They don't want to tip off just how strong their tractor technology really is." Sanford paused before continuing. "This threatening is very unlike them. I recommend you be as pliable and humble towards them as you can. Something has clearly agitated the Ishalan in this sector."
"Sounds like we should have talked about this while fixing the engine, Sanford," Herra humphed. "Why not bring up what you know about them earlier?"
"I have my reasons." Sanford shifted his eyes down. He crossed the room to face her before continuing. "It's also best that I stay on board, no matter what. Like me going to Earth, it is probably better for all of us if I have little to no contact with Ishalan."
"You know Sanford, I didn't really care before. It didn't really bother me. This cloak of mysteriousness is really starting to bother me now. Should I even ask?"
Sanford shook his head no. He just stood there looking as cool as a comet.
Herra turned and stormed out. She heard Sanford call out to her. "You're welcome, by the way."
Back in the flight cabin Virgil was at his seat in the copilot chairs. Chen was still at her computer. As Herra passed her, she had a wicked idea.
"Chen, I was just talking to Sanford and guess what?" Herra said trying to sound nonchalant. "He has so much information on the Ishalan. You should really ask him about it." She could already see Chen's eyes start to sparkle with the prospect.
"Really? That's fascinating. I'll have to talk to him while the Dauntless is repaired. Not only so I have the technical data but I wonder how he came by the information. "
Herra hid her snicker as she got back into her seat. It was mean, she knew, sicking Chen on him. Maybe next time the man wouldn't be so obstante. That done she was ready to get to work. All this up and down wasn't very efficient.
"How were our friends out there while I was gone?" Herra asked, putting the headset into place. "Are they behaving?"
"Silent. I had time to run some diagnostics and all things considered the ship is running pretty good. If I do say so myself."
Herra stroked his ego. "We're still in this thanks to you. I owe you. Dauntless owes you." Virgil deserved some credit. He'd done hard work without too much whining and complaining.
"You remember that come payday. Don't worry, I'll make sure of it. Words are wind. Cash is king. It has real weight."
Her engine readouts went red. Power stayed on but according to her console the engine had failed. She gave the flight stick a gentle push. Dauntless didn't move.
"Still we didn't crash, right?" Virgil said, shrugging at her. "You'll be getting my bill."
Herra rolled her eyes. It didn't take long for the old Virgil to come back. She was sure she would hear about how she broke everything again. She switched on her headset and signaled the Ishalanian ship. It only took a few seconds for the sight of Kohora to appear.
"I'm sorry for the interruption. Crew, what can you do, right? Where were we now? I think you were mentioning how you could tow us into your space station there with one of your littler ships. You take us to your least busy dock and I figure from there those who want to go over can space walk right on board. We'll pay for what we can in repairs to get us on our way and out of your system. Sound good?"
She didn't know anything about reading Ishalanian expressions but Kohora did seem surprised. He leaned out of view for a moment. He came back looking just as in control as the first time he popped up on Herra's screen.
"Very well," Kohora said. Herra was sure she could hear traces of frustration in his voice. "The Sunspray will be joining you shortly. It will take you to docking platform six." The transmission ended.
Inwardly she sighed in relief. The hard negotiations weren't over yet. However they would be in the safest place yet since the encounter with the unknown aliens started. There she'd get a chance to fix her ship.
The blue light cut off. Herra watched the big ship turn and the white hot light of its engines filled the cabin in the tractor beams place. The ship shrank as it drove towards the planet. To Herra, it looked like the ship was setting up orbit around it.
A few minutes later a rectangle of grey and black flew from beneath them to settle right in front of them. The ship was about the same size as the Dauntless. If that was their tow, then Sanford was right. Their tractor beam technology was greater than they let on. Sure enough, a weak and scattered blue light emanate from the ship in front of them. With deliberate care, it moved towards the station, taking Dauntless with it. A quick call on the comm system and moments later the crew of the Dauntless was all together again in the mess room.
"We are heading into the Ishalanian space station." Herra stood at the end of the table where everyone else sat. "I'll be going over. The Ishalan want information before they will help us. I will be negotiating what information I'm willing to share. I don't want to give away anything for free we could get credits for."
Virgil spoke up. "Or get us into hot water with any of the Earth governments."
Herra held back a impulse to make a mocking face at him. "Virgil, I'm sure this is no surprise to you but I need you to stay here and supervise repairs. I doubt will be here long enough for major repairs like attaching our engine back on. Just do what you can to get everything else back on and functional enough to get us home."
"And make sure whatever Ishalan I work with doesn't go poking their snouts in where they don't belong," Virgil added.
Herra made her fingers like a gun and shot at Virgil. "On that note, Chen and Zayan, you're both coming with me. Before we leave I'm going to need you, Chen, to encrypt all but the most basic systems the Ishalan need access to. I don't want any of our data stolen."
"It'll be done, Commander," Chen said, eyes shining. Herra was surprised she also wasn't vibrating in her seat from excitement. She knew Chen couldn't wait to get over to the space station and begin sucking up all the information she could.
"Now Chen and Zayan. While we are over there I will do the talking. Any questions beyond simple small talk should be directed back to me. Tell any who challenge you they will have to talk to your Commander. Got it?"
Chen nodded gravely. Zayan looked up at her with the broad smile he always seemed to be wearing. Herra took that as a yes.
"Sanford has volunteered to stay behind...for reasons." Chen shot a look at Sanford. Herra pretended to clear her throat to hide a giggle. "Virgil, I don't know how much help you want from him. I will leave that up to you and Sanford's discretion."
"Thank you, Commander," Sanford said, looking and sounding unperturbed.
"I think that about does it. Any questions before we go over?"
Herra paused and looked at each person in turn. After several seconds of silence she continued.
"Then the three of us need to suit up. With the docking clamps gone, we'll be doing a short space walk over."
Back at the ramp, Herra finished sealing up her suit. They had gotten more use out of them in the last day than they had for several months. After checking the charge she locked her pistol into place on her right thigh. It was only at forty percent. That would have to do. Virgil was up in the front watching the ship pull them in. The speaker in her suit crackled on.
"Herra, I think we're approaching the docking bay now. The little engine that could is moving at a snail's pace and is starting to rotate. I wonder how they plan on holding us in place without docking clamps?"
"Maybe if I ask nicely, they'll let you find out," she joked. "Let me know when the Sunspray says we're clear." Herra ended transmission.
Turning to Chen and Zayan she gave them the thumbs up sign. When each of them flashed the sign back, Herra triggered the ramp. The sound of metal rubbing on metal caused Herra to flinch. That will need some adjustment.
Using the pad on her left forearm, Herra turned on the suits internal communication network. "Alright. We all good? You two have any last minute info you can tell me about the Ishala?"
"There wasn't much in our system that any first year in college wouldn't know," Chen said.
"I do recall something from my studies on Vancri," Zayan said. "The Ishalan have what we would consider four races. They are based on the coloring in their fur. The golds, the reds, the purples, and the greys."
"That's all and good but how is that useful?"
"More likely than not you will be talking to golds. The golds are mostly the leaders. Ishala society is ridged. The Ishala gods are said to have given gold's the societies main task of making order out of chaos. Keep that in back of your mind."
"Right." Anything was better than nothing and who knows. It might be handy information. It should at least keep her from committing a fatal social faux pas.
Herra held onto a pipe above her as the Dauntless began to list to one side, as if in a storm. The golden square platform was right below them. The stations docking arm extended from the wall then froze when it found nothing to interact with. Herra felt her stomach drop like gravity had suddenly increased. "Go!" screeched Virgil in her ear.
She jumped, feeling the pull of the stations gravity. For a precaution she activated her magnetic boots anyway. She hit the platform feeling like she had landed on a soft pillow. She took one step forward. Her boots locked her down. In seconds Chen and Zayan landed beside her, Chen about as graceful as a drunk ballerina. Herra went to snatch at Chen's arm but Chen ended up righting herself.
"I need more practice with that," Chen said, sounding embarrassed.
The triangular bay doors opened ahead as they approached. There were two suited Ishala standing in the corridor beyond. Once through the doors, Herra felt safe about shutting off her boots.
The Ishala waiting for them were about half of her height. Even Chen was taller than either of them. The suits they wore were red and blocky. Even the helmets didn't look incredible comfortable. They were dark tinged so it was hard for Herra to see their faces inside. Both held rifle length blocks of rectangular metal that Herra guessed were weapons.
Herra was sure she could touch the ceiling of the metal corridor if she stretch her hand all
the way up. She took off her helmet and held it in her hands. A figure approached them that Herra guessed was Kohora. His features seemed sharper in person, like they were cut out by a laser. Two gold bands starting above his eyes and running over his head broke up his black hair. He looked about as cuddly as a skunk. He dress was a tunic of brown, over a longer, almost robe looking clothing of gold. A row of triangle buttons marched across his chest. A cloak of gold hung past his waist. Herra thought that was an odd choice of something to wear in space.
Kohora stopped in front of her. The two guards fell in beside him. The fact that he had to look up at her didn't take away from the intimidation she felt from his presence.
"Welcome aboard," Kohora said, thick tongued with a rasp to his voice. "I am vice commander Kohora. If you would follow us this way." He guestered with a paw like hand that was webbed between the fingers.
Herra kept the shock off her face that Kohora spoke English. She figured that was probably why he was picked to represent the Ishala in the first place. "Thanks for taking us aboard. Lead on."
Kohora took them down the nondescript corridor of uniform gunmetal grey deeper into the station. They passed more triangular doorways, branching corridors, and the occasional Ishalan worker. Most of them had black fur with differing patterns of grey. All were dressed in much simpler jumpsuit type clothing. Herra was pretty sure a couple of the Ishala were female but it was hard for her to tell.
The three arrived at their final destination. It was a room dominated by a star chart on one wall. There was a table, long and low, made of some white, rocky looking substance in the middle. Around it were ten seats. There were no other furnishings in the room. If all of Earth knew about the Ishalanian way of decorating they'd probably replace the word spartan with Ishala.
"If you would like we can take your space suits and store them in a locker. It must be uncomfortable wearing them. There is no need inside our space station." Kohora pointed to the three Ishalan that were in the room when they all arrived. The three held out their arms.