Jack's Righteous Gig

"It's neutral territory between the Jool and Qui Qui Qui regions of space though not close to either. Now that we've detected an intelligent, technological advanced race living on the system's only life-sustaining planet, the local region will belong to them. While there are a few communication satellites, I've detected no sign of space travel capabilities. The Jool and Qui Qui Qui will be notified of their new neighbor if they were not already aware."

Tonka pondered on that last point. "The Jool must be unaware as the planet below still contains life. The Jool tend towards aggressive military action when confronted with incursions, even this far from their home system. Our notifying the Jool will protect the inhabitants below, as attacking them would cause the Jool to lose Gate access. The Qui Qui Qui are unpredictable, and their intentions undecipherable. Their preference to avoid interacting with others means they don't explore, so they are likely to be unaware and won't visit when they learn of them."

"Yes, I concur," Eellooee replied. "May I present the findings of my culture study I've made based on the intercepted transmissions?"

"Yes, please," Tonka said with enthusiasm.

"The planet below hosts one homogeneous culture based on a tiered ranking system. It seems to be based on some form of merit system. The inhabitants show a remarkably high level of civility. That's not to say I was unable to find examples of violence. I've seen reports of public executions. Some, after a form of court trial, and others on the spot by members of their security force. These never devolve into civil unrest. I can find no sign of any conflicts larger than police actions. Individuals may perform violent acts, but society as a whole remains peaceful."

"Their base language has been relatively simple to translate from the broadcasts I've picked up. There are signals dedicated to educating their young. I'll share the lexicon with you now." Eellooee sent a tight beam file transfer to Tonka, who incorporated it into its translation files. There may be nuances missing, but this would be suitable for first contact.

"That's very promising! Thank you!" Tonka remarked, and Eellooee was delighted.

Tonka and Eellooee waited for morning to come to the capital city below and went over first contact protocols. Tonka determined the best time for them to descend and meet the people of this world would be when the sun was directly overhead, as this would give them a little extra security. First-contact was a tricky time.

Finally, the hour arrived, and they began their descent. They kept a steady pace, listening for chatter on the EM bands that would indicate they'd been observed.

Tonka had chosen a large courtyard in front of the largest structure in the capital city to make their introductions.

"I believe we have been spotted," Eellooee noted as several signals began to include very excited yet terse conversations.

They watched the civilians in the courtyard below quickly disperse as chrome armored beings guided them out and took their place. Likely the police force Eellooee spoke of earlier. They formed a circle around the spot where the Tik would arrive.

Tonka guided them in until they were hovering above the paved surface, roughly head height with the beings facing them. It noted that the chrome armor almost completely hid any identifiable features of the person within. The exception was the grey horns on either side of their head, which curved down and forward to point deadly tips at whoever they faced. They were all pointed at the Tik for now.

There were height differences as well, but in general, when ranked amongst the other races of the Gate Network, their size was slightly below the average.

Everyone remained still for a moment as they regarded each other. As no one stepped forward to identify themselves as the senior officer, Tonka proceeded with his greeting. Their language felt odd to use as it was filled with honks and growls, but the Tik had no trouble emulating it.

"Hello. We are Tik. We are an independent and sentient race of mechanical beings. We seek life to ensure it is preserved and protected."

The group shifted uneasily, and then two parted to allow a single being to enter into the circle to approach them. It was wearing a white sleeveless gown with a high collar. Finally, Tonka got a closer look at the facial features of one of the natives. Grey furred, the grey horns growing out of its temples to curve down and forward. It had large pale grey eyes and a wide and leathery-looking black bar for a nose. It had black lips in a broad mouth, the points of two fangs could be seen resting on its thick lower lip. Its ears were broad, furred triangles with white tufts.

As it walked closer, Tonka could see its hooves with two broad toes below the hem of the long gown.

Something was tickling Tonka's mind. Something familiar. It pushed the distraction back.

"I am Assessor Herrall Lekk, Fifth Level. What is the purpose of your unauthorized visit?" the being said with what could only be called a haughty tone. It looked unimpressed by the shiny visitors from space.

"We discovered your planet referenced in a ship's log from an Allsa Komanae raider ship. As a race, they were known for crimes against most other races they encountered. This ranged from the theft of system resources to genocide. We're here to offer a greeting as galactic neighbors, and if you are interested, we will offer you access to a Gate so you might join the community of the Gate Network," Tonka said politely.

"The Nareshk were not aware of the existence of the Allsa Komanae, nor have we had any dealings with them. We have no need of a Gate, nor do we desire to join this Network," Herrall stated categorically.

"I see. May I then infer that a fifth class Assessor in your society has the authority to handle first contact protocols and make decisions for the planet?" Tonka asked politely.

The being's expression became angry then smoothed away as it became aware of the scrutiny of the chrome armored beings surrounding them. It turned this neutral expression towards Tonka. "I will arrange a meeting between you and Assessor Dren Milo, First Level. Please remain here until the Assessor is available to see you." It turned to leave.

"What is your estimation for this waiting period?" Tonka asked.

The Assessor stopped and looked back in annoyance. "The Head Assessor is a very important and busy person. He will be available when he is available. Please recall that your visit was unscheduled and unsolicited."

"Understood. We'll wait for the meeting in geo-synchronous orbit. When ready, form another circle like this one, and we'll return." Without waiting for a response and ignoring the being's indignant sputtering, Tonka lifted into the sky with Eellooee close behind.

Once they were back where they'd begun their descent, they turned a lens towards the courtyard. The maximum zoom they had barely detected the gathering of chrome armored beings, but it was enough. The circle was breaking up as they dispersed.

"Has that ever happened before," Eellooee asked.

"Has what ever happened?" Tonka asked.

"I was expecting curiosity, interest, or excitement. Even fear or distrust would have been an expected response, but disdain?" the younger Tik said in surprise.

Tonka agreed that it was odd, but he'd seen it before. "If a race considers itself complete and the pinnacle of evolution, they often resent evidence to the contrary. Belief is a fragile thing. The stronger the belief, the more desperately people will cling to it, and the more resistant they may act towards those presenting opposing evidence."

Eellooee considered this for a moment. "Is that why we returned to space? Shouldn't we have demonstrated trust to assure them of our good intentions?"

Words rose unbidden from the new experiences in Tonka's mind. "Trust in Allah, but tie your camel," it said to its partner.

"What?" Eellooee exclaimed.

Tonka snorted at the surprise in its partner's voice. Then it realized the words weren't particularly well suited for this situation and wondered why they popped out at all. "Apologies. Some of the information in my recent download is leaking out as I haven't had time to digest it yet."

"Digest?" Eellooee remarked in puzzlement over the odd choice in words.

Tonka took a firmer control over its vocabulary. "I will use this time to integrate the information more completely. Please keep an optic on the meeting place and notify me when they gather again."

"Yes, Tonka."

The team leader heard the unease in Eellooee's voice, but there was little it could do to ease the other's mind outside of performing the data integration and being more vigilant about its treacherous tongue.

Tongue?

Tonka began to feel a little uneasy too.

Chapter 6

Rikki floated in space and pondered how this simple mission had become so complicated. All its team of Tik had to do was scan the gas giant below them for life as the nearby sun was exhibiting signs of destabilizing. That sounded simple enough.

Their discovery of a spacecraft parked in orbit over the planet's gravitational pole skewed the mission entirely. It had gone from finding potential lives to preserve to saving actual lives. The ship's propulsion engine was non-functional, and now it was trapped in the gravitational field of the gas giant.

Rikki sent Tootie and 1221 through a Gate to report their situation to the senior Tik on Chuuruthia. They took the dead bodies of 8809 and 4003 with them. They were to return with more Tik to assist with taking the enormous ship through a Gate. Rikki also needed to know which planet they were taking the Ishilon ship to orbit above.

While they waited for Tootie to return, Rikki brought all of the remaining Tik outside the ship. They measured the vessel by ringing it and creating a mesh of tight beam signals from each Tik to all of the others. As they moved in unison from tail to nose of the ship, they managed to get an accurate assessment of just how vast it was. While the others weren't experienced enough to know what this measurement meant in terms of its Gate requirements, Rikki hoped Tootie returned with many, many more Tik. The ship was more massive than anything they'd ever had to move through a gate.

"Rikki? Can you hear me?"

The Tik realized Sultessa Sahhahr, the leader of the Ishilon, was broadcasting to it from the ship. "Yes, I can hear you."

"One of my technicians picked up a strange reading from the sun. A distinct and significant change in output," she reported.

Rikki turned it's optics towards the sun and ran through an array of filters to measure the energy output. It froze when it saw the flare. It was larger than anything it had seen before. They'd missed the early warning signs?! Damn!

"All Tik to me! NOW!" it broadcast and moved to the tail end of the ship as quickly as possible. When it stopped and turned around, it could see the others rushing up the length of the vessel to join it.

"Sahhahr, are your ship's shields sufficient to protect against a Coronal Mass Ejection of this magnitude?" Rikki asked as it blurted a data package to the display inside the ship. There was silence for a moment, then quiet talking. Then she was speaking to Rikki once more.

"No. Not unless we shut down power to everything except the shielding. We can't do this because of the life support on the sleep chambers. The ship won't survive, and neither will we. Can you do anything?"

"One moment please," Rikki responded as it tracked the incoming Tik. It no longer had time to wait for Tootie to return with help. They had mere minutes before deadly waves of highly charged particles slammed into them. Conscious of the ramifications of its decision to take a shipload of refugees to an unsuspecting planet, it made a decision. "We're going to move the ship," it told Sahhahr then disconnected.

Rikki did a quick check on the team, and all were present.

"Due to the scale of the ship, I'll need all of you to assist with opening and maintaining a tethered Gate large enough to pass over the vessel. Understood?" Rikki asked the group as they gathered at the tail end of the colossal ark. It didn't share with them that they didn't have enough Tik to do this safely. It needed to be done.

"We've never maintained a tethered Gate before," 3334 stated for the group.

Rikki gazed at them, ever conscious of their limited time. "The only difference is you don't anchor the Gate to space coordinates. You anchor it to the tip of one of your tentacles. We move the Gate once it is activated. When the ship is through, we drop the tether and the Gate anchors there. Then we pass through ourselves and close it."

Rikki didn't bother checking on the progress of the sun's ejected coronal mass. It had to ignore all safety regulations and protocols as there was no choice. "I'll set the coordinates and activate the Gate. It's going to take a lot of energy to hold a Gate this large open and move it. You must not release the tether, so I will maintain your connections once tethered. You will feel a tremendous strain, but I will monitor your power levels. 3334, 2765, 9898, and I will position ourselves at the four corners. 3233, 4993, 7272, and 9101, you will each position yourselves at a midpoint between the corners."

Rikki's group rapidly moved outwards to form the four corners of the Gate. After the briefest of hesitations, the others took up position midway down each side. All were connected by a low power tight beam, to assist with maintaining their positions. They looked towards the planet to assure they had an unobstructed view without the ship extending beyond the borders of the Gate.

Rikki roughly estimated they were positioned sufficiently far apart, set the destination coordinates it'd chosen, and activated the Gate. A vast mirror snapped into place between them. Initially, it rippled oddly then went smooth. This was the largest Gate ever produced, and Rikki immediately felt the drain on all of the Tik. They would have to move quickly.

"We're going to move at double our normal speed for tethered Gates! Maintain signal lock with me and let me set the pace," Rikki broadcast. It felt their nervousness and fatigue.

As the ship was pointed nose first to the planet, they moved towards the surface in unison, pushing the vessel through the mirrored surface.

Inside the vessel, Sahhahr's technicians were watching the control boards to see if the Gate was causing any strain on the structural integrity or was affecting the ship's systems. They relaxed a little as they saw it didn't affect the vessel at all. One of the technicians was tracking the oncoming energy wave and shook his head to Sahhahr. At the current rate, they weren't going to make it.

As the Tik pushed forward approaching the front of the ship, the wispy leading edge of the energy wave began to hit the planet's magnetic field, and colors flared below them. The drain on their energy started to spike. 9101's levels suddenly dropped dangerously low, so Rikki untethered it and told it to go through. The remaining Tik immediately felt the additional load pull at them. "Fifty percent faster!" Rikki signaled them. It felt their dismay, but the speed increased as sparks began to leap between the Tik and the Gate.

Rikki felt each surge through its connection to the others and felt their pain, but it couldn't let them stop. Instead, it pushed harder. 4993 suddenly went limp, but Rikki was ready and immediately untethered it to cut the drain on it. Rikki sent a quick message blurt to 3233 to collect the unconscious 4993 before it went through.

The moment the ship's nose disappeared, Rikki released the others. "Get through now!"

The mirror locked in place as Rikki supported the vast Gate on its own. It felt its emergency reserves drain rapidly. The exhausted Tik rushed to pass through as the planet below them flashed brilliant and chaotic colors more intensely. 3233 and 4993 were the last two to get through before a wave of raw energy carved across the torsos of 3334 and Rikki.

Before the leader lost consciousness, it seized 3334 with a tentacle, pushed it through the mirror, and collapsed the Gate.

In its state of oblivion, it missed the torment of its torso burning on the opposite side by a second wave.

Chapter 7

Jack loved to throw Barbeque parties. There'd be music and dancing on the patio under the lights and stars. He'd serve drinks he'd found in his travels to other planets and some from Earth. Best of all, there was always great food!

He'd have two large grills going, one for vegetarians and one for meat-eaters. Separate tools were used for both, and there were no shared surfaces, which eliminated the possibility of cross-contamination.

Due to his ambassador training, he was sensitive to the natures, cultures, and dietary requirements of his guests.

This weekend's party was going to be his best yet! He'd been in touch with Tanz from Chrystan, and she was going to arrange for a large number of Skrahak steaks to be prepared for him and collect a few crates of delicious fresh vegetables from the hydroponic gardens in Boones Falls. He'd do an overnight visit to say hello to her and the royal couple and collect the food in the morning.

Another reason it was going to be especially enjoyable was the special dessert he was working on... if his Chuuruthian botanist and business partner, Wazzan, had success with his latest batch of their experiment.

He hadn't told anyone yet, but he'd hired a singer to come to play a short set at the party. Meagan Lane wasn't as big a celebrity now as she'd been when he first met her, the night he'd been abducted and spirited off to Allsa Komanae, but she still had an excellent voice and was backed by a great band. He was looking forward to seeing the surprise on his guest's faces.

While the party was occupying his attention, today, he was visiting Queen Elissa on Altaria. She hadn't told him what she needed to speak to him about, but he'd find out soon enough. He'd try to catch up with his kids while he was there.

He finished his breakfast and tidied up the kitchen as he listened to the faint sound of the wind chimes out on the patio. It was still very early, and most of the others were still asleep. He seemed to need less sleep these days.

Looking out the living room window, he admired the way the rising sun began the paint the cottage atop the hillside across the valley. It was a pretty little building.

Evenings, his place was painted by the colors of the sunset. One more way his place was perfect for parties. The sunsets on Chuuruthia were gorgeous!

He grabbed his jogging backpack and his runners as he made his way outside. Gee and Bal wouldn't be joining him on his trip to Altaria, so he thought he'd get in a little run. He'd get a shower when he got to the Queen's office. He had a change of clothes in his pack.

He sat in one of his patio chairs and laced up his shoes. They were beginning to feel a little tight due to the recent changes to his feet. He'd have to check in with his doctor to confirm the gene alteration was done.

Slipping on the running pack, Jack jogged down the hill, taking his time, letting his muscles warm up. By the time he reached the valley floor, he was able to stretch out his stride and let his muscles do their thing. Soon, he was loping along at a comfortable stride, eating up the distance between his home and the Gate Terminal. The wind pushed back his long black hair as the morning's first Ray's poked through the trees to warm his face, and he enjoyed the bliss. There weren't too many other souls up and out this early, and fewer still took the opportunity to run. Chuuruthian's had excellent metabolisms that naturally prevented obesity and maintained fitness. Lucky bastards.